NAB Cup R1 - Dogs V Bombers
NAB Cup Kicks-off for the Dogs Fri 13 Feb at TIO V Bombers (on Foxtel at 8pm).
A win should see the Dogs back in action in Melbourne the following weekend at Telstra Dome!
Hopefully our injury concerns will be done and dusted come R1, Sunday 29 March at Subi V Freo... although Murph's post-season "clean up" (his words, not mine) recovery isn't overly encouraging for R1. Keep your fingers crossed!
NAB Cup Kicks-off for the Dogs Fri 13 Feb at TIO V Bombers (on Foxtel at 8pm).
A win should see the Dogs back in action in Melbourne the following weekend at Telstra Dome!
Hopefully our injury concerns will be done and dusted come R1, Sunday 29 March at Subi V Freo... although Murph's post-season "clean up" (his words, not mine) recovery isn't overly encouraging for R1. Keep your fingers crossed!
Young pups let off leash
Jon Ralph | January 30, 2009 12:00am
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24981829-19775,00.html
THE Western Bulldogs will rest up to 12 first-choice stars in its NAB Cup opener against Essendon in Darwin on February 13. The preliminary finalist's lengthy injury list and determination to peak for its Round 1 clash against Fremantle at Subiaco will leave it desperately light on for experience against the Bombers.
Veterans Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis, Ben Hudson and Scott Welsh are considered likely to be rested, as will those on a lengthy, but shrinking, casualty list.
Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney will miss the game but is considered ahead of schedule after post-season surgery on his kneecap.
Cooney has resumed running and the Dogs are thrilled with his progress.
Brian Lake (hip), Daniel Giansiracusa (hip), Tom Williams (shoulder), Andrejs Everitt (glandular fever) and second-year midfielder Sam Reid (groin) will also miss.
Robert Murphy (knee) is considered the most serious of the club's injury concerns, but is expected to be ready to play in the early rounds of the season.
Last year the club blooded Reid and tough midfielder Callan Ward in the NAB Cup and was rewarded when both played senior games last season.
This year father-son selection Ayce Cordy and fellow tall Jordan Roughead are expected to get their chance as early as Round 1 of the NAB Cup.
Football manager James Fantasia said the club was in no rush to push its senior players into action.
"The bonus is the boys came back in great nick," Fantasia said.
"There are four or five senior players still coming back from post-season surgery, but if they are not on par, they are ahead of schedule.
"We are going to give young kids opportunities. To a degree we wanted to play the kids in the pre-season, so in some ways it has made the decision easier."
Cooney is making rapid progress after only starting to run after Christmas.
"He is moving really well, and it's fair to say he is well ahead of schedule," Fantasia said.
"He won't play in that early (NAB Cup) game, but you would think by the second or third one he might be ready."
While Murphy's recovery from serious knee surgery has taken much of the pre-season, the club is not worried by his lack of conditioning.
"He hasn't missed a beat in the whole rehab program," Fantasia said.
"He is starting to get his mobility back, but he is one where we will aim for Round 1 and anything earlier is a bonus."
The club will travel to Inverloch next week for a two-day Community Camp, before flying to Darwin the following week for the game against the Bombers at TIO Stadium.