Agree. It is tough, and the test will be for the player and coaches to choose the rest option if things are not quite right. Will they ere on the side of caution or do they take a risk. Partly up to Joey_D to accept that it’s ok to say I’ll sit this next game out as I’m not that right and that he is not letting anyone down.
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Yep. And also limit his training. I know Hepp stopped later last season.
I’m completely aware of this. Just suggesting it’ll be a conservative slow build up to a point where they can be confident of no more flare ups.
Positive stuff from Raz
I really hope Zac is fit for round one. He would have to be my favourite player now.
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He will be, No doubt about it. The kid will force himself to heal faster if need be.
The problem for Joey is that at the first sign of soreness, he is right back to where he was early last year.
Does he keep playing and try to nurse it, with no training, and hope to get through?
Because the alternative is a long period of rest. A week or two off will not fix the problem. It might mitigate how much the problem worsens, or even keep it to a manageable (playable) level, like people are saying Hepp does, and probably a lot of players throughout the comp do.
But for Joey, is it doable? After all, it is exactly what he tried to do last year.
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I hope not. Last time we dabbled in that…
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It’s sad that this is the case, one or two weeks rest is not the solution.
Most likely will have a career of season plans that can get him playing at a decent capacity come finals time, rest from season end to January and go again.
Not all dire, many greats played with body limitations for a big chunk of their career. They had to get the most out what they still had.
Jodi, why did you have to write that ?
Given limitations, ( if all of the strengthening exercises don’t work) Joey will need to play out of the goal square. None of this turning , trying to sell the dummy. Just run in straight lines. Any marks he misses can be mopped up by the small forward brigade. Even so, he will probably kick 50-60 goals, There have been many successful “full forwards” who played like that. Fcs, that muppet Brown at North played like that in 2018 and kicked about 60 goals.
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Carefully tailored programs to ensure players get to the line, round 1…
Dons skipper, pacy defender racing the R1 clock
Callum Twomey
ESSENDON expects captain Dyson Heppell and running backman Conor McKenna to be available for the start of the season despite the pair nursing nagging injuries.
Heppell walked laps at training on Wednesday and watched as teammates took part in match simulation drills as he deals with hamstring tendinitis.
Coach John Worsfold said the Bombers are managing the 26-year-old to ensure he is fit and available to face Greater Western Sydney in round one.
“[Heppell has] a bit of tendinitis in his hamstring. It’s just like, [we will] rest him so you knock it on the head straight away so it doesn’t linger,” Worsfold told AFL.com.au.
McKenna has spent more time away from the main group during the Bombers’ summer, battling a groin issue that flared up towards the end of last season.
The lightning-quick defender has been regularly spotted running laps in the rehabilitation group, and has only recently rejoined main drills as the club builds his conditioning.
“He’s had a sore groin. He was on a reduced program and I think he’d been carrying a bit of groin soreness, and that didn’t resolve when he had his break,” Worsfold said.
"When he started running again it was sore. As he’s kept building up they haven’t shaken it, but he’s back starting to join in some drills now. “He’s getting a lot of volume in so I think he’ll be right.”
The Bombers are being cautious with key players Zach Merrett (ankle) and Cale Hooker (hamstring) but both are not at risk of missing the start of the season. However, the wait looks set to continue for rebounding defender Martin Gleeson, who is still yet to resume full training nearly 12 months after he went down with a serious ankle injury in last year’s JLT Community Series.
Gleeson played 60 games between 2015 and 2017 and become a staple of Essendon’s defence, but has yet to find the same range in his ankle to return to the main group.
“It was a horrific injury. The way he landed and what he did to that ankle was terrible. It’s a bad injury, so [we’re tying] to get his ankle back to be able to flex to the full level,” he said.
"No doubt Marty’s been frustrated that he hasn’t been able to just do footy training yet, but he’s pretty fit. The focus is getting his ankle as good as it can be so he’s got a lot of footy to play in his career. “I have no idea [on a timeline for his return].”
The main focus at Essendon from a fitness perspective remains on star goalkicker Joe Daniher, who took part in the club’s short match simulation training on Wednesday.
Worsfold was able to mould a forward group together last year in Daniher’s absence that scored well, with the likes of Shaun McKernan and Mitch Brown offering marking targets and Jake Stringer spending more time closer to goal.
The coach said he was pleased with Daniher’s progress and optimistic he would be fit to face the Giants. “I’m not sweating on how he’s tracking today or saying ‘Is he on track?’ My guess is that he’s a fair chance he’ll be right for round one,” Worsfold said.
"He’s following a program and he won’t play until he’s ticked every box. If he has a setback and misses one day, that could mean that come selection day for round one he hasn’t ticked that box and we won’t pick him.
"The fact that he hasn’t done a full training session yet means it’ll be tight, but his running volume was bigger than the rest of the squad’s last week. “He’s getting the volume of training in, so [when he gets back] it’s really just going to be his touch and his footy nous getting that back to an elite level.”
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Once again, they’re not being anywhere near as conservative with their Daniher estimations now. Woosha saying “My guess is that he’s a fair chance he’ll be right for round one” is one of the most positive statements to date.
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Uncanny
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I chose to believe it when you said it too. Somebody on this miserable ■■■■■■■ forum has to stay positive.
Deckham is woosha!
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I miss the days when the club used to tell us nothing and continue to play players who were half-injured. Life seemed so much simpler back then.
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It’s the new information generation HH. These days they can tell when a hamstring tears even before it happens.
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Explains why he doesn’t like Langford much
Nah, but Woosh closely studies Deckham’s posts.