Injury Blicavs - lower leg crack/sprain (out until Sept)

[catempire]

I'd want to see both Blicavs and Cockatoo play in the VFL on 27 August. I'd be very worried about either coming back in for the first final without that hitout.

 

[year of the cat]

Blicavs has a great fitness base to start with - and if he had started running this week, they'll probably put him througha mini-preseason and ramp up the intensity over coming weeks ahead of the finals.

In a strange way, as frustrating as this injury is for Blicavs and the team, it could also be good for Blicavs. He was battling knee soreness (tendonitis?) early this year which is why he didn't travel to Perth - so while he was hitting form prior to this injury, he may have needed another break to give his knee/s a rest. With this injury it's provided there opportunity for a forced rest and hopefully any issues he was battling with his knees will be behind him for the rest of the season now

As he is the fittest player on our list the few weeks of no running etc won't hurt him in finals as much as other players, the only risks are in regards to whether he is mentally strong enough to perform off the back of so much time out and what degree of risk he has of re-injury in a final. I am not close enough to the club to answer those two questions.

I'm not so much worried about him from a fitness perspective, as from a "footy touch" perspective. He just strikes me as the sort of player that needs a decent run of games to find his best form. He started the year pretty poorly, but prior to injury had worked his way into some very good form I thought. Whether he can come straight back in, to finals intensity no less, and still be up to speed with his decision making, one touch ball handling etc is what I'm a bit dubious of.

 

[Catman]

I'm not so much worried about him from a fitness perspective, as from a "footy touch" perspective. He just strikes me as the sort of player that needs a decent run of games to find his best form. He started the year pretty poorly, but prior to injury had worked his way into some very good form I thought. Whether he can come straight back in, to finals intensity no less, and still be up to speed with his decision making, one touch ball handling etc is what I'm a bit dubious of.

Spot on.

We saw how rusty Hendo was in the PF after a month out last year. The only one I wouldn't have as much concern going in without a run would be the skipper. He's proven before he can perform off a limited preparation.

 

[Vdubs]

I'm not so much worried about him from a fitness perspective, as from a "footy touch" perspective. He just strikes me as the sort of player that needs a decent run of games to find his best form. He started the year pretty poorly, but prior to injury had worked his way into some very good form I thought. Whether he can come straight back in, to finals intensity no less, and still be up to speed with his decision making, one touch ball handling etc is what I'm a bit dubious of.

Spot on.

We saw how rusty Hendo was in the PF after a month out last year. The only one I wouldn't have as much concern going in without a run would be the skipper. He's proven before he can perform off a limited preparation.

Spot on both.

 

[Lana]

I'm not so much worried about him from a fitness perspective, as from a "footy touch" perspective. He just strikes me as the sort of player that needs a decent run of games to find his best form. He started the year pretty poorly, but prior to injury had worked his way into some very good form I thought. Whether he can come straight back in, to finals intensity no less, and still be up to speed with his decision making, one touch ball handling etc is what I'm a bit dubious of.

Worried or not we're just not going to get an ideal prep for quite a few of our players or our preferred structures. If we are to win it this year we're going to have to carry them and hope we last long enough for them to regain any lost touch. Stanley going down this weekend makes it a near certainty we'll bring in Blicavs.

 

[Vdubs]

Worried or not we're just not going to get an ideal prep for quite a few of our players or our preferred structures. If we are to win it this year we're going to have to carry them and hope we last long enough for them to regain any lost touch. Stanley going down this weekend makes it a near certainty we'll bring in Blicavs.

How bad was Stanley?
Pity because he was playing well from what I was told.

 

[Lana]

How bad was Stanley?
Pity because he was playing well from what I was told.

We just have to wait till we get a update from the club or Krock. I can't imagine it was too serious but the issue is that we only have two more games before finals. Wouldn't say he was playing well, he was doing his usual tease some great stuff mixed in with costly mistakes. If he could pull it all together at once he could be the difference in a final.

 

[Larry Donohue]

We just have to wait till we get a update from the club or Krock. I can't imagine it was too serious but the issue is that we only have two more games before finals. Wouldn't say he was playing well, he was doing his usual tease some great stuff mixed in with costly mistakes. If he could pull it all together at once he could be the difference in a final.

Needs good and clear instruction. Dont kick across the middle unless player 30 metres in the clear. Kick down the line, at goal or up the guts long. He flights his kicks dangerously. Concur he could be the difference though.

 

[Lana]

Needs good and clear instruction. Dont kick across the middle unless player 30 metres in the clear. Kick down the line, at goal or up the guts long. He flights his kicks dangerously. Concur he could be the difference though.

I get what he was trying, had Stewart marked the ball it would have lead to an easy mark I50. There is no winning without risk, the mistake was punished in the worst way possible and he made it when it wasn't necessary to pull that trigger.

Pretty much all of our players have done something similar are some point this year not all of been punished in the same way. If too many of your players are regulated to not kick it to the centre it just makes it easier for the opposing teams to block space down the line.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I'm not so much worried about him from a fitness perspective, as from a "footy touch" perspective. He just strikes me as the sort of player that needs a decent run of games to find his best form. He started the year pretty poorly, but prior to injury had worked his way into some very good form I thought. Whether he can come straight back in, to finals intensity no less, and still be up to speed with his decision making, one touch ball handling etc is what I'm a bit dubious of.

I get that but there are two issues. One is the MC want the flexibility he gives them but the 2nd is our alternatives for the 2nd ruck role are buzza (kid and probably not ready this year) stanley (incredibly inconsistent and might be out injured anyway) and abbott (not debuted yet). So i think we have to roll the dice on blicavs as we lack other legit options for that role.

Whereas with cockatoo while i think he is definitely legitimate best 22 we have other alternatives for those last couple of spots (parsons parfitt lang etc) so i can see us possibly not risking him if there is a question mark on his ability to get through finals.

 

[Larry Donohue]

I get what he was trying, had Stewart marked the ball it would have lead to an easy mark I50. There is no winning without risk, the mistake was punished in the worst way possible and he made it when it wasn't necessary to pull that trigger.

Pretty much all of our players have done something similar are some point this year not all of been punished in the same way. If too many of your players are regulated to not kick it to the centre it just makes it easier for the opposing teams to block space down the line.

That may be correct but only players who dont flight kicks should be taking that risk. I like rhys but he needs attention to his kicking before taking privelege

 

[Stocks_go_Up]

Sloane the dog should have been rubbed out - since when can you scissor someones legs in AFL? He was mad Blicavs put a shepard on and decided to monkey hold him and scissor his legs out - absolute dog. Hope when we play them one of our guys grabs him from behind and scissors the **** out of his ankles.

 

[dave_doncaster]

Spot on.

We saw how rusty Hendo was in the PF after a month out last year. The only one I wouldn't have as much concern going in without a run would be the skipper. He's proven before he can perform off a limited preparation.

My brother in law is a life long Carlton supporter...after first few rounds 2016, I said you've done a number on us with Henderson..he said, he is a player that needs a run of 4-5 games to build confidence, he's a great pick up..
so yeah, good observation RE that prelim.

Sent from my HTC_0PJA10 using Tapatalk

 

[year of the cat]

I get that but there are two issues. One is the MC want the flexibility he gives them but the 2nd is our alternatives for the 2nd ruck role are buzza (kid and probably not ready this year) stanley (incredibly inconsistent and might be out injured anyway) and abbott (not debuted yet). So i think we have to roll the dice on blicavs as we lack other legit options for that role.

Whereas with cockatoo while i think he is definitely legitimate best 22 we have other alternatives for those last couple of spots (parsons parfitt lang etc) so i can see us possibly not risking him if there is a question mark on his ability to get through finals.

Fair call.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I'd want to see both Blicavs and Cockatoo play in the VFL on 27 August. I'd be very worried about either coming back in for the first final without that hitout.

Very important from both a footy touch and fitness perspective that both have a run in the magoos before finals
Far be it from me to comment but Blicavs will certainly benefit from the run prior to playing in the firsts IMO - no doubt he is a machine but he's 20kgs or so heavier than his steeplechase days and with such a long layoff even he will need to regain fitness before being able to perform as we know he can.
Cocky - just praying those strings hold up during September. Spend whatever it takes over the preseason to get him right - kids got the potential to be a real game changer for us

 

[nananana catman]

Better without him? Makes us move the ball so slowly.

 

[Footy Smarts]

Selwood and Blicavs play basically no matter what in our first final. Selwood hobbling would find a way to impact the game more than our 22nd picked player and Blicavs only needs to do better than Buzza or a similarly underdone Stanley (highly unlikely to play in the next 2 weeks). I'd give Blicavs a run with role against one of GWS outside mids if we play them. The only real question is if they're borderline for week 1 whether we hold them back until week 2 of finals.

Cockatoo is any interesting one because he's more likely to reinjure himself and leave us a man down. I'd be picking him once he gets through a solid block of training or a game at either level with reduced game time.