Tom Rogacki may top the stat sheets in the AUL, but he knows it is the women receivers in his Sydney Suns outfit that will pose the most danger in Saturday’s grand final.
The Suns will line up against the Brisbane Breakers at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday, October 12 and will enter the match as heavy favourites.
Rogacki, who joined the Suns this season after winning the title with the Melbourne Flames in 2018, will be a key cog for Sydney after a dominant season where he finished with a league-leading 28 assists.
At 42, he admitted he won’t be the fastest on the field on Saturday but pointed to the lightning fast women receivers of the Suns as a reason for their success.
“That is a strength of the Suns, we use the women as much as the men,” he said.
“I don’t care what gender you are, if you are open, I will throw it to you.
“I think our female contingent overall is incredibly fast and deceptive.
“Dani Alexander, Rosie Dawson and Sarah Wentworth come to mind, they are three of the quickest players in Australia, let alone the AUL.
“I’m not going to be giving away our tactics, but we have done that all season so there is no reason (to change) if it’s not broken.”
Old dog set to deliver some new tricks in AUL decider
At 42, Rogacki is one of the more senior players in the league. Yet he stands to become the only player to win two AUL titles in two years, a distinction that will go to Brisbane’s Rosa Wang if the Breakers win.
“Age is age, right?” he said.
“We’ve got older players in this league, there are a few others. You see it in so many sports, age is just a number.
“If I still feel I can add value and contribute, then why not?”
Rogacki’s experience will make him the perfect general for Sydney and the centrepiece of their attack on Saturday.
“I have a lot of miles in the legs and experience that can add to the game,” he said.
“I might not be the fastest anymore. Will I be the fittest? Probably not. But we are not sprinting for the Stawall Gift.
“We are playing Ultimate and it we pull it all together, we will get the win.
“Luckily, this sport does not discriminate but I am not sure how many more opportunities I will get to play finals like this at this level.”
