Cooney delayed
Please don't make it OP, puh-lease don't make it OP.
Bulldogs to take no risks with Adam Cooney's return
Mark Stevens | February 26, 2009 12:00am
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25107634-19775,00.html

THE Western Bulldogs will take no risks with Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney, even if it means him missing Round 1. Cooney's return from knee surgery has been delayed by groin soreness, forcing the Bulldogs to take a cautious approach with the star.

The 23-year-old has made progress in recent days, but the Dogs had been concerned about signs of the osteitis pubis that derailed his preparations for the 2007 season.

Cooney is yet to play a practice match and will also be sidelined for tomorrow's hitout against St Kilda.

Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade remains hopeful Cooney will make his pre-season debut by playing a half against Sydney on March 7.

"Fingers crossed, touch wood, all that stuff, he seemed to turn the corner yesterday," Eade said.

But Eade said the club would not rush Cooney's return just because the season-opener with Fremantle at Subiaco on March 29 was looming.

"We're not going to play him in Round 1 just because it's Round 1 . . . we want to make sure he's right," Eade said.

"If he has no more hiccups, we're confident he will play, but we won't be playing him for the sake of it.

"We won't play him if he's labouring."

Eade said Cooney's program had been interrupted by "hiccups" following knee surgery in October.

"He's done a lot of running. He just hasn't done the required amount of speed work and agility work.

"It's a matter of his groin getting used to the cutting and the turning, which is a real explosive part of his game."

Cooney has shown significant improvement this week, completing sprint sessions and pulling up with no signs of groin soreness.

"He hasn't had a lot of that footy stuff this year. He needs high-octane footy stuff," Eade said. "He did that yesterday and today and coped with it."

If Cooney can play against the Swans and then get at least three quarters in the final full-scale practice match, he will be on track to confront the Dockers.

If he suffers another setback and can't play against Sydney, Cooney may have to play for the Dogs' VFL affiliate Williamstown for a final hitout on the weekend before Round 1.

"I think he needs to play (at least one practice match). His body needs to be right and he needs a game under his belt to be fair to him," Eade said.

Although Cooney is not yet ready, the Dogs will welcome back several key players against the Saints, including Robert Murphy, Jason Akermanis and Mitch Hahn.

First-round draftee Ayce Cordy, so impressive in an intraclub match on Friday, will have another chance to show his wares.

The Dogs are likely to use 30 players and the Saints 28.