bustle may be back , but did they find a brain

[stinger]

Article from:
Herald Sun

Three operations put bustle back in Bazza

| February 11, 2008 12:00am


THREE operations in quick succession that roll back the years. It's straight from the script of TV's Extreme Makeover.

But doctors say the eye, nose and groin surgery Sydney forward Barry Hall has had in the off-season can wind back the clock to 2004-2006.

In those three years, Hall was an All-Australian player and figured prominently in debate about who was the most valuable forward in the league.

While eye and nose surgery should enhance his game, it is fixing his groin problems that gives him the best opportunity to rekindle his top form.

Hall, while suffering a less severe groin injury than Chris Judd, was also reduced last year to a shadow of the player he has been - reflected in fewer goals, marks, kicks and handballs.

"The main thing is he will get that speed back, which he lost a bit last year," Swans club doctor Nathan Gibbs said.

"He could run around on the footy field last year for a couple of hours, that wasn't his problem, but he lost that sharpness and speed off the mark, which makes a really good player suddenly become pedestrian.

"That is typified by how bad Judd looked last year. But Barry was never as bad as Judd . . . Judd couldn't walk."

In 2005, Hall played 26 matches, kicked 80 goals, had 390 disposals and took 206 marks. In 2006, he played 25 matches, had 78 goals, 365 disposals and took 216 marks. Last year, he played 20 of 23 matches, kicked 44 goals and had 238 disposals and 133 marks.

Gibbs said for the first eight rounds last season Hall was "biomechanically out of whack", which put excessive strain on his groin for the rest of the year.

"Half the problem behind his groin was that last year in Round 2 he hyper-extended his knee, hurt it quite badly, but didn't miss a game," Gibbs said.

"It probably took six weeks to get better and then he hurt his ankle a week or two later.

"That kept giving him trouble, so biomechanically he was out of whack probably for a couple of months, which gradually led to an overload on his groin and adductor."

Each episode ofExtreme Makeover ends with the dramatically slimmer, sexier and more stylish subjects being unveiled to their loved ones, who have not seen any of their gradual changes.

Hall's overhaul is expected to translate into crisper acceleration off the mark, an improved ability to change direction (groin), aerobic capacity (nose), depth judgment (eyes) and general confidence.

"He had one of his eyes re-lasered, that does not just affect vision but co-ordination, skill and judgment," Gibbs said.

"And his nose surgery to clear his sinuses.

"And his groin is fine at the moment. Hopefully it stays that way. He has no symptoms and that is the best we can hope for at this stage of the year."

Ruckman Peter Everitt, who damaged the bone behind his kneecap in December, began running last week and is on track for Round 1 against St Kilda at Telstra Dome.

Gibbs said Everitt was fortunate the injury had occurred in early December.

"If it was Round 1 when that happened, he would have missed two-thirds of the year," Gibbs said.

As for Tadhg Kennelly, who battled a series of knee injuries last year, Gibbs said Swans coach Paul Roos was pleased with the Irishman's progress and his fitness was sound

[riccardo]

Article from:
Herald Sun

Three operations put bustle back in Bazza

| February 11, 2008 12:00am

Hall, while suffering a less severe groin injury than Chris Judd

Is "complete lack of testes" LESS severe than what Judd had?

Must've been serious!

[cowboy18]

Article from:
Herald Sun

Three operations put bustle back in Bazza

| February 11, 2008 12:00am

Hall, while suffering a less severe groin injury than Chris Judd

Is "complete lack of testes" LESS severe than what Judd had?

Must've been serious!

True, he's had a knob transplant. Good luck with the recovery.




EDIT: Breaking news: the knob's rejected him.





Think that's stolen from Monty Python - definitely cleaned up and stolen from somewhere.