Q. Has it surprised you how well the team has gone in your absence?
A. It has impressed me rather than surprised me. I think the guys that have been playing have done such a great job and I am coming into a side that is a lot better than when I left. I think a lot of guys have improved and are better performers - Mark McVeigh and Paul Barnard - guys that are better players than when Lloydy and I left. It will be good to come in and initially provide a hand to those guys and see where it goes from there.
Q. How long do you think it will take you to return to form?
A. I don't know. I would expect three to four weeks but if it doesn't happen in three to four weeks it doesn't happen. I am really excited about contributing from the team point of view and if I am the one who has to give those dummy leads and take a few players out, then so be it. The way the team is playing now, there are a few more guys that the other team has to focus on - so it takes a bit of pressure off Matthew and myself.
Q. Have you seen footage of the incident?
A. I saw it about 100 times. It was really by accident that I saw it. I was in the hospital and it kept coming up on tv, so you couldn't get away from it. I am glad that I have seen it and I doesn't even look that bad - not soft, but it doesn't look like there is too much wrong with it - it is just that the consequences of it were fairly great.
Q. Have you seen a sports psychologist?
A. No, I am not one for that.
Q. How does the helmet feel?
A. The people have done a great job at OPC and made it to fit my head, so I am looking forward to wearing it.
Q. How long will you have to wear the helmet for?
A. I am not sure how long I will have to wear it for. It looks like the first three to four weeks at the moment and then the surgeon will re-assess. Hopefully it will just be the first three to four weeks.
Q. Have you had bad headaches lately?
A. Not since the first couple of weeks. Obviously the headaches in the first couple of weeks were pretty bad but ever since then everything has been fine and just waiting for the fracture to heal.
Q. Will you be tentative?
A. No I don't think I will be tentative or nervous at all. I am looking forward to getting out there and I will go to the ground like it is a normal game.
Q. How is your confidence after the incident?
A. I think with any injury there is a certain level of confidence that you have to get back but with this even more so. The best thing about this injury is it didn't affect my running, skills and really it has been a lot easier to slot back into training. Although it was a gruesome injury to start, I would rather have that than a knee or something like that, that affects your running.
Q. The injury would have been a good opportunity to get rid of some of the niggly little injuries?
A. Lloydy and I are probably the freshest players in the AFL at the moment and we look forward to a good second half of the year. Hopefully we can get in a good position for the finals and Lloydy, Joe Misiti and myself will probably be fit and fresh by the time the end of the season comes around.
