COLIN Sylvia has let his club down but coach Dean Bailey says a positive from the forward’s latest indiscretion is that no-one is more upset than the man himself.
Sylvia accepted a three-match ban from the AFL’s match review panel this week for striking West Coast’s Scott Selwood in the Demons’ win over the Eagles at the weekend.
The 23-year-old’s suspension soured an otherwise memorable day for Bailey’s men, the win just the club’s second of 2009.
“We’re disappointed, and Col’s very disappointed with what happened,” Bailey said from the Junction Oval on Wednesday morning.
“He’s probably [been in the] best form of his career and [he’s] been consistent, too, which has been fantastic for us.”
Sylvia will not only miss Sunday’s clash against Port Adelaide at the MCG, but the following fortnight against Geelong (Skilled Stadium) and the Sydney Swans (Manuka).
Bailey said Sylvia knew he had let an opportunity slip to cash in on his current good form.
“He’s a player we’re going to miss because he does kick goals and he does create some run through the middle of the ground which he’s been really focused on this year, so … it’s disappointing it happened and we think playing the footy is more important than anything else,” Bailey said.
“He’s let us down, he’s let the club down but I know that Col was really disappointed.
“When you’re in a reasonably good vein of form like he is in, he really feels like he’s let the club down and the members.
“For Col to come out and start to talk about those sorts of things I think is fantastic.”
The coach said while Jack Watts would be discussed at the selection table, he said other senior players were perhaps more likely to push for inclusion against the Power.
Lynden Dunn, Clint Bartram, Daniel Bell, Matthew Whelan, Michael Newton and Shane Valenti have performed well in recent weeks and could be in line for a recall.
The Demons will try to sustain the pressure displayed against West Coast for a second successive week, something Bailey knows has been a big ask for his young group.
“The challenge ahead is can we repeat it? We expect the same effort, the same intensity to come on Sunday,” he said.
Bailey said while he hadn’t spoken to Jim Stynes, he knew his players’ efforts against the Eagles would have lifted the chairman, who is receiving treatment in hospital after recently being diagnosed with cancer.
“We hope that he’s recovering,” Bailey said.
“I’m sure he’s sitting there with a smile on his face. The big bloke’s got a great attitude to life and I know he’ll be fighting to get back and get out of the hospital as soon as he can.”
