MAROOCHY Northshore coach Roger Delaney says the Roos are very much a work in progress, but can still make the finals this season.
But for that to happen, Delaney believes the planets will probably have to align so that the Roos are spared the ravages of injury.
"If we get our best dozen on the park every week we're pretty good, and it's just a matter of bringing those other young guys through as well and making sure that they continue to learn and play together as a group," he said yesterday.
With the Roos set to play their Pineapple Hotel Cup season opener against reigning two-time premiers Noosa at home on April 21, the former Port Adelaide Magpies star spoke earnestly about the blueprint for success adopted by the club.
Instant results were great, he said, but the club was working towards longer-term goals aimed at ensuring it would be a force for many years.
"We certainly need to improve," he said in reference to the side's lowly finish last season.
"We had, as you know, a fairly big turnaround in players last year and what we're trying to do is build a club for the next 10 years.
"Most of our recruits are young, and we've got a lot of young guys who played their first games last year.
"We're just expecting them to get better and better."
The Roos will once again be heavily reliant on key on-ballers Kane Tyson and Jarrod Gale this season.
Tyson and Gale were the club's top two players last season, and both were named in the competition's team of the year.
Other key players backing up against this season include co-captains James Page and Dave Hulsman, and vice-captains Jarryd Raun, Greg Stirton and Tyson Williams.
The club's leading goal-scorer in 2011, Jarrod Clarke, has also been retained.
"They (Tyson and Gale) are very good players, and it was really important for us that we kept everyone that was physically possible from last year," Delaney said.
The coach believed Noosa, who beat the Roos in a pre-season trial match, were still the team to beat.
"Besides losing probably two of their best players, the rest of their team is still very, very strong and have played together a long time and they know each other really, really well ... I think they'll be the benchmark again," he said.
THE ROOS AREBOUNCING BACK
The Roos finished second last in 2011
They expect to go better this season after retaining several key players
The future, however, is as equally important to the club as instant success
The side meets reigning two-time premiers Noosa in its first 2012 Pineapple Hotel Cup match on April 21
Roos coach Roger Delaney says Noosa is still the competition benchmark
Last Modified on 11/01/2013 10:20