GVGjr
29-03-2007, 04:57 AM
Refreshed Dog strains at the leash (http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2007/03/28/1174761566707.html)
Robert Murphy is excited, which is saying something for the Western Bulldogs' laconic half-forward. He is about to play real footy for the first time since round nine last year, when his left knee buckled under Anthony Rocca's heavy tackle at the MCG.
Like Luke Darcy, he is returning from a knee reconstruction and has seen all too many rehabilitation sessions. "It feels like my career's going to be in two parts - before it happened and afterward," Murphy said yesterday.
Coach Rodney Eade has warned supporters not to expect too much too soon as Murphy and Darcy prepare for their return against Geelong at Telstra Dome on Sunday.
Eade said it might not be until mid-season that Murphy and Darcy reached anything near their best. Even Murphy is unsure about that. "It's a wait-and-see thing, really," he said.
"I'd love to get straight back into it. It'd be nice to kick six on debut! I don't think that's going to happen, but it's something Luke and I have to work through. You can certainly tackle and chase and work on that part of the game."
The 24-year-old Murphy, player of 110 games for the Bulldogs, said he no longer thought about the prospect of re-injury, having jumped the mental hurdles in training. "Waiting to be tackled the first time, I was a bit nervy, a bit jumpy. It was nice to get all that out of the way."
He no longer even bothers talking to other players who have recovered from reconstructions: "I spoke to a couple early on, and they didn't fill me with a whole heap of confidence, so I just avoided it and thought: 'I'll go down my own path'. It's worked for me so far."
The Bulldogs have a different feel in 2007; much more is expected of them. Murphy watched the last half of the 2006 season in admiration as much as everybody else.
"It got me out of my seat a couple of times," he said. "I think we put on a pretty good show. While it was great to watch them, I'm much happier to be running around with them."
Now he is prepared to take on the responsibility of pushing the club further up the table: "I think it's more internal excitement this year than any other. We feel like we're really building to something. Hopefully it's this year, but we think over the next few years it'll happen."
Asked if this increased the pressure, he agreed: "Certainly, but it is what you make it. It is pressure, but would you give up that pressure to be languishing down the ladder? I've been here eight years and I'm relishing the opportunity to play in some big games."
Eade said that veteran Chris Grant, who has missed part of the pre-season with a groin strain, was "less than 50-50" to play on Sunday, although Grant's powers of recovery are vaunted.
The coach anticipates a dogfight against Geelong. "They've had a good pre-season," Eade said. "It's as tough a first-up game as any. If you take last year out of the equation, they were one of the better teams in the competition."
Robert Murphy is excited, which is saying something for the Western Bulldogs' laconic half-forward. He is about to play real footy for the first time since round nine last year, when his left knee buckled under Anthony Rocca's heavy tackle at the MCG.
Like Luke Darcy, he is returning from a knee reconstruction and has seen all too many rehabilitation sessions. "It feels like my career's going to be in two parts - before it happened and afterward," Murphy said yesterday.
Coach Rodney Eade has warned supporters not to expect too much too soon as Murphy and Darcy prepare for their return against Geelong at Telstra Dome on Sunday.
Eade said it might not be until mid-season that Murphy and Darcy reached anything near their best. Even Murphy is unsure about that. "It's a wait-and-see thing, really," he said.
"I'd love to get straight back into it. It'd be nice to kick six on debut! I don't think that's going to happen, but it's something Luke and I have to work through. You can certainly tackle and chase and work on that part of the game."
The 24-year-old Murphy, player of 110 games for the Bulldogs, said he no longer thought about the prospect of re-injury, having jumped the mental hurdles in training. "Waiting to be tackled the first time, I was a bit nervy, a bit jumpy. It was nice to get all that out of the way."
He no longer even bothers talking to other players who have recovered from reconstructions: "I spoke to a couple early on, and they didn't fill me with a whole heap of confidence, so I just avoided it and thought: 'I'll go down my own path'. It's worked for me so far."
The Bulldogs have a different feel in 2007; much more is expected of them. Murphy watched the last half of the 2006 season in admiration as much as everybody else.
"It got me out of my seat a couple of times," he said. "I think we put on a pretty good show. While it was great to watch them, I'm much happier to be running around with them."
Now he is prepared to take on the responsibility of pushing the club further up the table: "I think it's more internal excitement this year than any other. We feel like we're really building to something. Hopefully it's this year, but we think over the next few years it'll happen."
Asked if this increased the pressure, he agreed: "Certainly, but it is what you make it. It is pressure, but would you give up that pressure to be languishing down the ladder? I've been here eight years and I'm relishing the opportunity to play in some big games."
Eade said that veteran Chris Grant, who has missed part of the pre-season with a groin strain, was "less than 50-50" to play on Sunday, although Grant's powers of recovery are vaunted.
The coach anticipates a dogfight against Geelong. "They've had a good pre-season," Eade said. "It's as tough a first-up game as any. If you take last year out of the equation, they were one of the better teams in the competition."