‘I remember when.....’ Paul Roos reflects on his VFL/AFL playing and coaching career

Paul Roos did almost everything as a VFL/AFL player and coach but it almost didn’t happen. He reflects on his journey to becoming a great.

“Here it is!”

Three famous words which put Paul Roos into AFL folklore and turned him from a great into a legend.

Roos played and coached more than 600 games and achieved pretty much everything in the VFL-AFL.

Roos played for Fitzroy from 1982-1994, captaining the side for six years and winning five best-and-fairests.

He moved to Sydney in 1995 before playing in their grand final appearance in 1996 and hanging up the boots in 1998.

Roos played 356 games, was an All-Australian seven times and played for the Big V on 14 occasions.

Paul Roos is chaired off field by Sydney Swans teammates playing his 300th AFL game. Picture: John Feder

The talented player then went into coaching and guided Sydney to the 2005 premiership, their first in 72 years.

After his time as a Swan became a media personality before taking on the role as Melbourne coach, looking to turn their fortunes around after years of bottom four place finishes.

His guidance, from 2014 to 2016, laid the foundations for the team to win the premiership in 2021, their first in 57 years.

Roos is now based in the United States, with his wife, working on his business Performance by Design, which focuses on providing platforms and coaching from elite leaders to make businesses succeed.

He’s also part of Blake’s Army, running a free program aimed at raising valuable funds to find a cure for bone marrow failure.

To find out more and to get involved, head here.

Roosy reflects on his career.

How I almost played basketball over football

My generation just played everything.

I played state basketball, so my best two sports were footy and basketball.

I was probably a little bit better at basketball than what I was at football consistently but I was always a pretty good footballer.

You never really thought about (playing professionally) it was a beauty of growing up in our era because you didn’t have to worry about the draft. If you were good enough you’d go down to Fitzroy and get picked in the under-19s.

Really it was get out, have fun, play as much as you can, play as well as you can but really it was about enjoyment more than anything else.

It really wasn’t until I went to Fitzroy and started playing and looking around and getting a game in the 19s that I started to think I might be pretty good at this and make a career out of it.

Big V was the best football I played

I remember as a kid growing up watching Bernie Quinlan, Peter Moore, Gary Dempsey, Robbie Flower and guys like that and sitting there in awe of these kind incredible players and the great honour it was to walk and play in that jumper.

To get picked in that team, Teddy Whitten was there and the great Graeme Richmond was there.

Paul Roos during training in 1993. He would captain and be one of the best players for his state in the 1980s and 1990s. Picture: Jamie Davies

It’s unbelievable, it really is.

It was an incredible thrill to play against South Australia at Football Park, be associated with all the best players in the competition and the training was amazing.

It means even more now given we don’t see it anymore.

At some level we took it for granted.

Some of the greatest memories I’ve had, playing football, were playing for Victoria, there’s no question.

It’s a shame the Fitzroy Lions are not around

I was really lucky to play in a great era.

We played finals in 1982, 83, 84 and 86 — I think it was.

Really good players.

Paul Roos celebrates after a Fitzroy win. He played 269 games for the club, which was the second most ever at the Lions. Picture: Supplied.

Could the AFL have supported us more? Definitely.

As you can see at the moment, the AFL won’t let clubs die now but back then with South Melbourne and Fitzroy it was a different era.

You’d love to see it in the same shape and form but the Brisbane Lions have done a great job to integrate the old Fitzroy people and so forth.

When I look back it is what it is but I’m happy I went to that footy club and happy I spent 13 years there and I was fortunate it was an amazing experience.

Sydney’s 20005 premiership success taught me a lot

I probably realised afterwards how tough it is, getting a group of people to all pull in the same direction and how many people contribute to it.

Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos playing a game of chess in 2005 before guiding his team to premiership glory. Picture: Michael Dodge

It’s not just about the coach, or one player, those were my learnings from Sydney.

To win a premiership, the first one in 72 years and the affect it had on so many people, players, administrators, fans, sponsors, it was just incredible.

How Melbourne’s success put a lovely full stop on my career

Watching Melbourne win its premiership was so fulfilling.

I know how much work a lot of people that work there premiership put in.

When I got there they had won two games and lost 20.

Paul Roos coaching Melbourne during his final season at the club in 2016. Picture: AAP

So to see them turn it around in the three years that we were there and the commitment of guys like Todd Viney, Josh Mahoney, Brett Allison, Georgie Stone, Ben Mathews, Dan McPherson was incredible.

It was probably a sense of fulfilment, it almost felt like an exclamation mark on my whole career to say this is great, I’ve done it.

I certainly went there for Melbourne to win a premiership, I knew it wasn't going to be in my time but that was the goal and it was good to see the goal come to light.