southerncross
06-03-2007, 05:11 AM
Murphy, Darcy set for return (http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2007/03/05/1172943356293.html)
THE Western Bulldogs plan to roll the dice and play their two high-profile knee victims of last year � Luke Darcy and Robert Murphy � this Saturday in a practice match against Essendon at Skilled Stadium.
Both players will visit their knee surgeon on Thursday for a final check, as much for peace of mind, before what, in Darcy's case, will be his first match since round six, 2005.
Bulldogs veteran Chris Grant will also have his first competitive workout of the year against the Dons while Adam Cooney, Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis, all absentees in the loss to the Brisbane Lions last Friday, will also return.
For former captain Darcy, whose 2006 season ended before it began after a second reconstruction, it was a matter of taking the plunge.
The ruckman-forward has had back pain, the cause of which the club has tried painstakingly, but without success, to identify. Darcy had an epidural to reduce the inflammation about a month ago. He was encouraged to play against the Lions but declined.
"He could easily have played. From the knee reconstruction point of view there's no doubt at all. It's just this mystery back problem we've been trying to get on top of," the Dogs' head of conditioning Cameron Falloon said.
"We actually tried to encourage him to play (last week), even just a quarter, but he was very reluctant, he wanted to have another full week's training before he went in.
"It's been very frustrating for Luke because no one really had any answers, but he's had all the scans and tests, and everything came up negative. All going well for him if he gets a few kicks over the next two weeks he's a good chance to play round one."
The Dogs plan to play Murphy and Darcy in the first half against the Bombers. Darcy will be used in attack and in the ruck. They should then play about three-quarters of next week's practice game before the club decides whether to put them through a final intraclub game the weekend before round one.
Murphy has had this weekend marked down as his comeback date for the past two months. "I'm not sure where I'll be playing, on who or what I'll be doing but I'm just rapt that I'm going to be down there and in the colours and doing something out on the ground," he said yesterday. "I've been a pretty quick healer and it's felt pretty good for a fair while now so I was always pretty confident."
Murphy recently ran a time just under 2.9 seconds over 20 metres, which is as good a result as he's recorded. "I'd say mentally he's probably one of the stronger people I've seen go through an ACL and one that's really, really confident in his own body," Falloon said.
Murphy is aiming to play at least 22 matches this season and is eager to get the return over and done with before the annual hype of round one.
THE Western Bulldogs plan to roll the dice and play their two high-profile knee victims of last year � Luke Darcy and Robert Murphy � this Saturday in a practice match against Essendon at Skilled Stadium.
Both players will visit their knee surgeon on Thursday for a final check, as much for peace of mind, before what, in Darcy's case, will be his first match since round six, 2005.
Bulldogs veteran Chris Grant will also have his first competitive workout of the year against the Dons while Adam Cooney, Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis, all absentees in the loss to the Brisbane Lions last Friday, will also return.
For former captain Darcy, whose 2006 season ended before it began after a second reconstruction, it was a matter of taking the plunge.
The ruckman-forward has had back pain, the cause of which the club has tried painstakingly, but without success, to identify. Darcy had an epidural to reduce the inflammation about a month ago. He was encouraged to play against the Lions but declined.
"He could easily have played. From the knee reconstruction point of view there's no doubt at all. It's just this mystery back problem we've been trying to get on top of," the Dogs' head of conditioning Cameron Falloon said.
"We actually tried to encourage him to play (last week), even just a quarter, but he was very reluctant, he wanted to have another full week's training before he went in.
"It's been very frustrating for Luke because no one really had any answers, but he's had all the scans and tests, and everything came up negative. All going well for him if he gets a few kicks over the next two weeks he's a good chance to play round one."
The Dogs plan to play Murphy and Darcy in the first half against the Bombers. Darcy will be used in attack and in the ruck. They should then play about three-quarters of next week's practice game before the club decides whether to put them through a final intraclub game the weekend before round one.
Murphy has had this weekend marked down as his comeback date for the past two months. "I'm not sure where I'll be playing, on who or what I'll be doing but I'm just rapt that I'm going to be down there and in the colours and doing something out on the ground," he said yesterday. "I've been a pretty quick healer and it's felt pretty good for a fair while now so I was always pretty confident."
Murphy recently ran a time just under 2.9 seconds over 20 metres, which is as good a result as he's recorded. "I'd say mentally he's probably one of the stronger people I've seen go through an ACL and one that's really, really confident in his own body," Falloon said.
Murphy is aiming to play at least 22 matches this season and is eager to get the return over and done with before the annual hype of round one.