GVGjr
14-02-2007, 05:26 AM
Cooney (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21222866%255E19742,00.html)
Cooney still cautious
14 February 2007 Herald-Sun
Mark Stevens
ASK Adam Cooney how his close friend and teammate Ryan Griffen is travelling and he'll tell you: "Dunno, haven't spoken to him for six months."
It is the Western Bulldog's playful way of summing up a summer of frustration tucked away in the rehab group.
Cooney has battled osteitis pubis since feeling a twinge in his groin in Round 1 last year and is still unable to participate in full skills training.
Completing the warm-up with the main training group for the first time on Monday was a major milestone.
Cooney has finally started kicking lighter balls and medical staff say he is over the worst of nagging groin soreness.
Dogs coach Rodney Eade is expecting the brilliant midfielder to join in with the rest of the team from next week.
Cooney will miss the Bulldogs' first NAB Cup outing against Sydney in Canberra on Saturday week but Eade is planning to play him in half a game the following week.
The absence of Cooney from the main group all summer has had regular track-watchers in a flap and unofficial fan websites have been full of innuendo in recent weeks.
One had Cooney out for the year. Another fan posted that Cooney had ruptured his achilles and was gone for 2007.
But Cooney yesterday said reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated.
"I've been in rehab for pretty much the whole pre-season. I'm starting to get up and running now," Cooney said.
"I'm doing a lot more agility stuff which I wasn't doing before Christmas.
"I'm actually pretty fit considering I haven't trained with the main group, my running has been pretty good and I've been hitting all my times.
"I think it's just the ball work that I've missed out on."
Cooney has been restricted to swimming, cycling, boxing, pilates and running sessions away from the main group.
Mindful of the fact the kicking action can aggravate the injury, Cooney has barely booted a Sherrin since the Dogs were wiped out by West Coast in last year's finals.
By the time that game came around, Cooney was struggling to overcome the pain.
"I carried it for most of the year and struggled a bit. With OP, sometimes it's better than others. Some weeks I was a bit down," Cooney said.
"You can't blame that on your form, but I did struggle a bit with it. I lost a bit of pace and a bit of power in my legs."
In the days leading up to the Round 20 clash with Adelaide last year, Cooney was close to finally taking a rest.
He changed his mind, kicked five goals and polled three Brownlow Medal votes in the thrilling win.
Cooney had hoped rest over the post-season break would ease the problem, but again he was restricted when the players returned.
"There was frustration that it wasn't getting better. A few days I'd start to feel really good. Then I'd do a session and some agility work it would blow up and take a couple of days to settle down," Cooney said.
"It just came back. I don't know if I did too much or progressed too quickly, but it just got sorer and sorer."
And, as if the groin pain wasn't bad enough, Cooney had to endure the discomfort of having his wisdom teeth removed in the middle of the Christmas period.
While teammates were eating roast dinners, Cooney was having his teeth yanked out.
Cooney had dental surgery on December 27 and could not eat properly for a week.
"That sort of ruined my Christmas and New Year a bit. I think the club was pretty keen to get it done then so I wouldn't miss out on any more training," Cooney said.
With the wisdom teeth missing, Cooney sought the help of outside specialists to solve osteitis pubis. Finally, he was able to get on top of it.
"If I do a big session now, the day after maybe it's a little bit sore and then it settles down after one day. It's a positive sign at the moment," Cooney said.
Eade yesterday said the Dogs would not be taking any risks with Cooney, flagging the possibility of him playing slightly less game time in the opening rounds of the home-and-away season.
"He's progressing very well. We changed our course of action with the injury and the medical staff have been terrific," Eade said.
Cooney still cautious
14 February 2007 Herald-Sun
Mark Stevens
ASK Adam Cooney how his close friend and teammate Ryan Griffen is travelling and he'll tell you: "Dunno, haven't spoken to him for six months."
It is the Western Bulldog's playful way of summing up a summer of frustration tucked away in the rehab group.
Cooney has battled osteitis pubis since feeling a twinge in his groin in Round 1 last year and is still unable to participate in full skills training.
Completing the warm-up with the main training group for the first time on Monday was a major milestone.
Cooney has finally started kicking lighter balls and medical staff say he is over the worst of nagging groin soreness.
Dogs coach Rodney Eade is expecting the brilliant midfielder to join in with the rest of the team from next week.
Cooney will miss the Bulldogs' first NAB Cup outing against Sydney in Canberra on Saturday week but Eade is planning to play him in half a game the following week.
The absence of Cooney from the main group all summer has had regular track-watchers in a flap and unofficial fan websites have been full of innuendo in recent weeks.
One had Cooney out for the year. Another fan posted that Cooney had ruptured his achilles and was gone for 2007.
But Cooney yesterday said reports of his demise had been greatly exaggerated.
"I've been in rehab for pretty much the whole pre-season. I'm starting to get up and running now," Cooney said.
"I'm doing a lot more agility stuff which I wasn't doing before Christmas.
"I'm actually pretty fit considering I haven't trained with the main group, my running has been pretty good and I've been hitting all my times.
"I think it's just the ball work that I've missed out on."
Cooney has been restricted to swimming, cycling, boxing, pilates and running sessions away from the main group.
Mindful of the fact the kicking action can aggravate the injury, Cooney has barely booted a Sherrin since the Dogs were wiped out by West Coast in last year's finals.
By the time that game came around, Cooney was struggling to overcome the pain.
"I carried it for most of the year and struggled a bit. With OP, sometimes it's better than others. Some weeks I was a bit down," Cooney said.
"You can't blame that on your form, but I did struggle a bit with it. I lost a bit of pace and a bit of power in my legs."
In the days leading up to the Round 20 clash with Adelaide last year, Cooney was close to finally taking a rest.
He changed his mind, kicked five goals and polled three Brownlow Medal votes in the thrilling win.
Cooney had hoped rest over the post-season break would ease the problem, but again he was restricted when the players returned.
"There was frustration that it wasn't getting better. A few days I'd start to feel really good. Then I'd do a session and some agility work it would blow up and take a couple of days to settle down," Cooney said.
"It just came back. I don't know if I did too much or progressed too quickly, but it just got sorer and sorer."
And, as if the groin pain wasn't bad enough, Cooney had to endure the discomfort of having his wisdom teeth removed in the middle of the Christmas period.
While teammates were eating roast dinners, Cooney was having his teeth yanked out.
Cooney had dental surgery on December 27 and could not eat properly for a week.
"That sort of ruined my Christmas and New Year a bit. I think the club was pretty keen to get it done then so I wouldn't miss out on any more training," Cooney said.
With the wisdom teeth missing, Cooney sought the help of outside specialists to solve osteitis pubis. Finally, he was able to get on top of it.
"If I do a big session now, the day after maybe it's a little bit sore and then it settles down after one day. It's a positive sign at the moment," Cooney said.
Eade yesterday said the Dogs would not be taking any risks with Cooney, flagging the possibility of him playing slightly less game time in the opening rounds of the home-and-away season.
"He's progressing very well. We changed our course of action with the injury and the medical staff have been terrific," Eade said.