Cooney three years off peak, says Eade
http://news.theage.com.au/sport/cooney-three-years-off-peak-says-eade-20081114-670h.html
Cooney three years off peak, says Eade
November 14, 2008

Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney will not reach his peak for at least three years, according to Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade.

While the 23-year-old clinched the AFL best and fairest award this season, Eade believes he can still improve significantly.

He puts the red-headed midfielder in a group of younger players he feels will keep the Dogs highly competitive over the next few years.

"I think that's where our improvement will come from, our players who are 26 and younger," Eade said.

"I know Coons (Adam Cooney) has just won the Brownlow but you would like to think his best football is still ahead of him.

"He's a fairly level-headed young guy .... he's just turned 23, we think his best football is going to be at about 26 or 27 years of age.

"He's learning every year and we've given him benchmarks to come back with in a whole range of areas and he's met all those."

Cooney will begin full training in two weeks following surgery on a fractured kneecap while star forward Robert Murphy will not be able to start running until January.

"Cooney's prognosis was he'd be able to run after eight weeks post-op, and it's about six now so he'll be able to run soon but he's kept himself in reasonable shape," Eade said.

Murphy has a longer layoff after an intricate operation to repair a hole in his patella tendon.

Eade said he was impressed by the way Murphy played at the end of the season with the injury and kicked four goals in the final against Sydney with painkillers.

If anyone saw the news report, a certain number 37 big man had the guns the size of Brad Hardies thunder thighs, he looked bloody big!

Nice work, Hun, I'm sure you could have had the brain power to at least put this and the prior post together as an article:
Bulldogs need to show bite
Amelia Harris | November 15, 2008 12:00am
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24653670-19775,00.html

THE young Western Bulldogs are on notice - with coach Rodney Eade yesterday naming the players he expected to improve next year. "I know Coons (Adam Cooney) has won the Brownlow, but you'd like to think his best football is still ahead of him," Eade said.

Cooney is expected to return to running in two weeks following knee surgery.

"(Ryan) Griffen we expect to stand up," Eade said.

"Shaun Higgins is another one who's probably been beset by injuries the last few years. He's presented himself in very good shape."

Eade also expects big things from Andrejs Everitt, Callan Ward, Stephen Tiller and Tom Williams, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.

"(Everitt) obviously had a disappointing season," he said. "He probably didn't attack his pre-season last year as hard as he should have.

"(I) think he's learnt from that (and) he's come back in very good shape."