Injury Blue Healers Discussion - 2025

[passmark]

Big loss.

One of those always in the right spot at the right time guys. A very cool head.

Usually very reliable distributor of the ball, that’s why his stats are so high.

Not many others give mana sense of relief when they have the ball TBH. Takes options by foot I’m not sure many on our team can.

Big loss.

 

[Worm4]

I get the feeling that the Newman injury will be the making of Cowan. He became AFL ready last season and rapidly improved. 20 years old with a valuable 24 AFL games under his belt, just appears ready to take off. Talented player. If we need more leadership and experience down there, Docherty is the obvious one to have a role back there. I'm excited to see Cowan with more opportunity and more responsibility. He won't look back.

Opens up a lot of possibilities. I'm hoping our ball movement from the backline is quicker now than in previous seasons. I'm aware that Voss and co like Newman with ball in hand as he makes good decisions, but it's given other the opportunity to make this position their own. As sad as I am for anyone injured, I'm a tad excited what it might bring moving forward

 

[swuzzlebubble]

As sad as I am for anyone injured, I'm a tad excited what it might bring moving forward

We had enough of this excitement last year

 

[Beyond Blue]

Newman our second best player ??

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Docherty available to return if experience is deemed necessary but really hoping the door opens for Wilson now.
Sometimes you never know what you’ve got until you give it a go …

I really like Newman but I agree talk of him being our 2nd best player - regardless of B&F results over the past 2 seasons - is a bit far fetched. That said he plays a very important role and will be hard to replace. Albeit we do have options.

IMO Cowan is clearly the one to play Newman’s role long term. The question will be whether he can step up to replace his output this season. I think he gets there in time but I can’t see Cowan being as effective this year as Newman was last year as he doesn’t yet have the poise will ball in hand.

If Cowan fails badly in the role then we have Docherty to go back there to fill a gap for a year. I see Wilson more as a long term replacement for Saad. I think Wilson will do well to break into the team and play regularly this year.

 

[CCurnow3votes]

I really like Newman, but our second best player???

He’s top 10 without a doubt.

Has a habit of positioning himself defensively in the right place at the right time.

Offensively - we have other options if we consider our mix.

Saad could be used at HBF rather than defensively deeper.

Doch is an AA standard HBF.

Do we use Boyd deep or open up Cowan to the HBF.

Lots of options.

 

[GT619]

now la trobe has cursed us

 

[Tjblues]

Totally and utterly cursed just a question is it anything to do with Ikon Park turf

Seen a few people post similar thoughts so thought I would add some info.

Firstly, training is and has been at Latrobe Bundoora since early December, and the surface is terrific.

Secondly, a patellar tendon rupture isn’t really a hyper extension (acl) type mechanism. Usually it’ll be one of 2 things that has happened: Either landing from a jump with knees bent, where it’ll pop, or forceful impact to the front of the knee ie driven to the ground in a tackle.

TLDR: without having seen the incident it’s almost certainly down to bad luck and not the surface/any type of training method