Essendon will head into the 2009 NAB cup competition at close to full strength, barring any further injuries, football operations manager Paul Hamilton said at training today.
Despite 22 players undergoing post-season surgery in 2008, Essendon’s injury list is looking much healthier with only a handful of players currently on modified training programs - including Brent Prismall who underwent reconstructive knee surgery late last year.
Hamilton said the health of the Bombers' list would ensure intense selection pressure when the Bombers head to Darwin to take on the Western Bulldogs on February 12th.
“At the moment we have about five or six players who are just working to get back to the full fitness,” he said.
“We would expect to get that list down to two or three players in the next couple of weeks – barring any further injuries.
“The doctors and the physios and our new conditioning staff have done a terrific job getting players back on track and making sure we are going to be ready once the season starts.”
Despite the increasingly sparse injury list, Hamilton said Essendon will take a conservative approach to ensure players are in peak physical condition come Round 1 of the season proper.
“Because of all the injuries we had with our guys last year, we will be very careful with any of the injured players,” he said.
“We want to see them up and running for Round 1 so we will do what is best for the players individually.”
Hamilton said the fitness of Scott Gumbleton and Alwyn Davey is a major positive to come out of Essendon’s pre-season after both missed most of the 2008 season through injury.
Gumbleton’s 2008 season was ruined by injury after he strained a hamstring early in the season before breaking his collarbone in the VFL.
“Scott is going really well,” Hamilton said. “He tested really well when we got back on Monday. He is injury free and he is a talented player who has terrific endurance so hopefully we can see some good things from him this year.“
Davey has also resumed a full training load but has been ruled out of Round 1 of the NAB Cup due to missing a substantial amount of preseason.
Darcy Daniher and Jason Winderlich have also been ruled out of the NAB Cup game in Darwin.
“Darcy has a back injury so we are unlikely to see him playing early in the NAB cup along with Winderlich who also had a back injury,"" Hamilton said.
“We are being very conservative in their rehabilitation at the moment but they will be right to go come Round 1 of the season. “
Mark McVeigh has started running and is set to resume full training in the coming weeks after breaking a toe at training in early December.
Brent Prismall is also recovering well after a knee reconstruction late last year.
“I think Brent has already had an impact on the club,” Hamilton said.
“He is clearly a guy that is determined, has a great work attitude and wants to get back really quickly.
“What we have to do is hold him back a little bit because he has a very serious knee injury and had a reconstruction so it is just holding him back a little bit.
“We are not sure yet when he will play – it is just one of those things where we will have to wait and see but we are not looking to rush him back.”
