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Injury-riddled youngsters Nathan Freeman, Paddy McCartin and Hugh Goddard are all expected to hit the ground running when St Kilda commence pre-season training next Wednesday, however goal sneak Jade Gresham is set for a slower start after having surgery last month.
StReNgTh ThRoUgH LoYaLtY
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly..!!
Jade Gresham set for slow pre-season start following surgery, but St Kilda youngsters mainly fit
Injury-riddled youngsters Nathan Freeman, Paddy McCartin and Hugh Goddard are all expected to hit the ground running when St Kilda commence pre-season training next Wednesday, however goal sneak Jade Gresham is set for a slower start after having surgery last month.
While the Saints have fared reasonably well with injuries in recent seasons, that cannot be said of Freeman, McCartin and Goddard.
Freeman – who hasn't played an AFL games in his four years in the system, the first two of which were spent at Collingwood – played most of the 2017 VFL season for Sandringham, highlighted by a mid-season purple patch, before missing the tail end of the year with an ankle issue.
However St Kilda's general manager of football performance Jamie Cox said Freeman, 22, was well placed to at last break through for a senior game as he enters the final year of a three-year deal with the Saints.
"We'd expect him to be starting from the moment we kick off," Cox told Fairfax Media.
"He obviously missed the last three or four games last year but with an ankle, with that dreaded syndesmosis, but the positives were really strong last year.
"We'd be pretty bullish that this year he takes another step."
Former No. 1 pick McCartin missed the bulk of the second half of the season following his sixth concussion since 2014, but Cox was similarly upbeat about the key forward.
"Paddy's again unfortunately missed the back end of the season, but the positive from that is it gave him a terrific training block, which really gave him great insight into what he just might be able to achieve athletically," Cox said.
Tall defender Goddard, who like McCartin is entering his fourth season, has played just one AFL game since the start of 2016, cut down by achilles and toe injuries, but according to Cox they are now a thing of the past.
"I know he's in good shape, I know he's been training hard, his toe injury is 100 per cent now so he'll hit the ground running next Wednesday too which is great," he said.
Third-year forward Gresham will need to work his way into the pre-season though, after going under the knife.
"He had what they call an adductor release probably close to a couple of weeks ago now," Cox said.
"It's a fairly minor procedure. He'll be a bit slower, but he won't be far away. He'll still get a fair bit of volume in before Christmas."
Cox also said veteran David Armitage was feeling good after missing most of 2017 with a groin ailment. "I saw Armo the other day. He's looking in pretty good shape. He's done some running, hasn't really felt any awareness," he said.
Meanwhile utility Nathan Wright was due to return to running, three months after his season was prematurely ended by a syndesmosis issue.
St Kilda's first-to-fourth year players resume training on Wednesday, with the full group back on Monday, November 20.
In Springfield, they're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the cats. They’re eating – they are eating the pets of the people that live there.
They usually resort to that sort of operation when rest and physio have failed to resolve it. Depending on severity, they wait a month or so to see if surgery can be avoided.
"Is this the right room for an argument?"
"I told you once."
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did."
"Listen, an argument isn't just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says, it's a series of statements designed to support a particular conclusion."
"No, it isn't."
"Oh, I've had enough of this."
"No you haven't"
"Oh shut up."
It was done at an off-site clinic so the assumption was it might be Jake ?
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
Jade saw a specialist in the week after the final round ( as many did ). He was advised that rest would probably fix it as any surgery has the risk of slightly weakening the problem. Rest didn't work so a minor op was done. He'll be lucky to be 2 weeks behind the rest of the 1-4 year players. Probably in front of the others. By the way I think Brandon may have learnt his lesson.
tony74 wrote:Jade saw a specialist in the week after the final round ( as many did ). He was advised that rest would probably fix it as any surgery has the risk of slightly weakening the problem. Rest didn't work so a minor op was done. He'll be lucky to be 2 weeks behind the rest of the 1-4 year players. Probably in front of the others. By the way I think Brandon may have learnt his lesson.
Brandon won't eat too many fruit mince pies and turkey.
Avoid the beer too!
Thanks for the news Anthony!
Forever valuable
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
A bit concerned about players at 22 yo and yet to play a senior game of AFL footy. Freeman looked OK in a few Sandy games, but stepping up to the seniors is another level of physicality which he has yet to experience. I remember Jason Cripps back in the 90s who was a good running senior player for us, but after terrible hamstring injuries was never the same.
spert wrote:A bit concerned about players at 22 yo and yet to play a senior game of AFL footy. Freeman looked OK in a few Sandy games, but stepping up to the seniors is another level of physicality which he has yet to experience. I remember Jason Cripps back in the 90s who was a good running senior player for us, but after terrible hamstring injuries was never the same.
Cripps had a hammy come off the bone, I think Seb had something similar.
Crippa was quoted as saying it's usually elite snow skiers that get that.
He was never the same after.
A real Sainter will pledge allegiance to the ❤ and despise the Pies, the Blues, and the Injectors.
Remember one of the 10 Commandments : Thou shalt have no other team before thee
Paddy McCartin’s impressive start to the pre-season has suffered a minor setback after the key forward injured his foot on Monday.
A minor mid-foot strain will see the 22-year-old on a modified training program until Christmas, when he is expected to return to full training.
Scans yesterday cleared McCartin of any significant damage to his right foot.
The key-forward has been one of the standouts in the pre-season to date, a fact General Manager of Football Performance
To be injured during a game is bad enough. Shocking that he is injured again, this time at training. Unbelievable. And then lack of conditioning places him at greater risk when practice games start in February. Just poor. Really feel for the guy. These injuries before Christmas are so frustrating for player and team, and disappointing for the members and supporters.
Fortunately, none of those on the list are crucial to our success.
"Is this the right room for an argument?"
"I told you once."
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did."
"Listen, an argument isn't just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says, it's a series of statements designed to support a particular conclusion."
"No, it isn't."
"Oh, I've had enough of this."
"No you haven't"
"Oh shut up."
Playing 13 VFL games last season before an ankle injury ruled him out proved he was good enough.
"I was just going out and having fun. That is the way I approach my footy now," Freeman said.
Any reservation he carried has disappeared.
"I am more of an instinctual player. I just go out and play footy now. If I pop it I pop it."
He has nothing but praise for the physios and coaches who have supported him into his fifth year since being drafted, his energy so infectious and his talent so real it's no wonder people are happy to help.
And he will keep pushing on, aware he's given himself every chance.
"If I get out there and I'm all sweet after this then so be it but if it doesn't happen then I am a realist. I have been on a list for five years. I haven't played a game," Freeman said.
And he will know he did not die wondering what might have been.
"It would be good ... I know I will be ready. I know I can play," Freeman said.
"The only thing between me and playing is my body. Hopefully it's all good."
StReNgTh ThRoUgH LoYaLtY
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly..!!