Injuries & Suspensions
- Thread starter Impromptu
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Touche' 
Currently on 16% ownership, and I'm expecting that to climb into the low 20's come season start.
That will put him the top 4 non-Rookie Fwds as far as popularity goes, and I'm just not 100% convinced on him.
It seems most are picking him on the pretense of more midtime, and I just wonder where it comes from. Montagna didn't play that much midtime, then we have:
Ross, Steven, Steele, Newnes, Dunstan, Acres, Weller - add in the short termers Sinclair, Gresham, and Savage - it seems he's going to have push one of the top ones out to get siginificantly more time.
BUT
then you add in Armitage coming back, and unless there is some sort of injury to one of the key mids, I just can't see a significant increase in Billings midtime.
That being the case, I don't see much improvement coming on last seasons 93, maybe 95 or 96 at best, and if that's the best he's going to do, at his price and popularity, I'd just rather look elsewhere.
Currently on 16% ownership, and I'm expecting that to climb into the low 20's come season start.
That will put him the top 4 non-Rookie Fwds as far as popularity goes, and I'm just not 100% convinced on him.
It seems most are picking him on the pretense of more midtime, and I just wonder where it comes from. Montagna didn't play that much midtime, then we have:
Ross, Steven, Steele, Newnes, Dunstan, Acres, Weller - add in the short termers Sinclair, Gresham, and Savage - it seems he's going to have push one of the top ones out to get siginificantly more time.
BUT
then you add in Armitage coming back, and unless there is some sort of injury to one of the key mids, I just can't see a significant increase in Billings midtime.
That being the case, I don't see much improvement coming on last seasons 93, maybe 95 or 96 at best, and if that's the best he's going to do, at his price and popularity, I'd just rather look elsewhere.
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- West Coast
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...r/news-story/5fd33582bb55e8df13a6a9fa5b5bd8f5
Rory Lobb likely to miss round one as GWS injury curse enters third year
Greater Western Sydney yesterday hosed down injury concerns over new No 1 ruckman Rory Lobb but conceded he was in doubt for the start of the premiership season.
With less than six weeks to the start of the season proper, Lobb’s restricted pre-season *because of previous groin injuries is likely to cost him valuable match conditioning in the JLT Community Series, which could put back his start to 2018.
GWS’s injury curse has *already entered a third season and Lobb is so important that any absence would seriously jeopardise the Giants’ crack at a maiden premiership after losing preliminary finals in the past two seasons.
The club’s best running *defender, Zac Williams, ruptured his Achilles last month at training and could miss the *entire year. In a cruel twist, Williams was initially ruled out for *between six and seven months.
Giants general manager of football operations Wayne Campbell told The Australian his club was taking a “cautious *approach” with Lobb, 25, who was expected to join in full training later this month.
“It’s really been a careful build-up for Rory, as a result of a hangover of groin injuries over the past two years,” Campbell said.
“He’s fine, we’re not concerned and he’s doing plenty of running.
“He could be in full training now but we’ve taken it easy with him for six or seven weeks, which we believe will help him get through an entire season in the ruck.”
Campbell said GWS were “hopeful” Lobb would play in the second JLT practice game against the Swans on March 9 at Blacktown, but added there was a possibility he might not.
Lobb, who was forced to sit out five games last year with soreness in both groins, has been earmarked to take over permanently from the retired Shane Mumford as the Giants’ key big man, as he did superbly in the club’s latest two finals appearances — against the Eagles and *Tigers last year.
After 55 games as a back-up ruckman and key forward, he has replaced Mumford, who was forced to retire prematurely after breaking down again with a serious foot injury against Adelaide in last season’s qualifying final.
The Giants, however, remain confident Lobb’s interrupted preparation will not lead to an extension of the club’s shocking luck with injuries to key personnel in 2016 and 2017 when their seasons ended in preliminary final losses.
After a breakout third season in 2016 where he kicked 29 goals and developed into one of the elite competition’s best contested marks, Lobb resisted overtures from Fremantle and West Coast to return home and signed a two-year contract extension keeping him with the Giants until the end of next year.
GWS backed Lobb to stand up this season after his 70 hit-outs against West Coast and Richmond in the club’s past two finals in Mumford’s absence. Lobb had 151 hit-outs when used sparingly in the ruck in the home-and-away season. Mumford’s 802 tap-outs in 2017 was a benchmark which will be tough to equal.
The concern for GWS coach Leon Cameron if Lobb breaks down again is that he has few other proven ruck options. Next cab off the rank is the moderately performed Dawson Simpson, followed by developing big man Matthew Flynn, 20, who was drafted in 2015.
Another possibility is former Collingwood key-position player Lachie Keefe, who was picked up late last year after being *delisted by the Magpies. Not only has Keefe, 27, not played senior football since 2014, but he has never played as a ruckman.
But in a gamble, the 204 centimetre endurance athlete is being trained up this year for a back-up ruck role. Keefe missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of a doping suspension and did not play a single senior game last year when he was returned to Collingwood’s primary list. In Keefe’s 40-game career with the Pies, he has had a total of seven hit-outs.
At one stage earlier last *season, the Giants were unable to select up to 12 of their better players in consecutive rounds. The club conducted a review into its conditioning program but put most injuries down to bad luck. Last year’s priority recruit, Brett Deledio, played only a cameo role towards the end of last season *because of ongoing problems, while fellow experienced midfielder Ryan Griffen was halted in his tracks by ankle injuries after the first three rounds.
Leading goal kicker Jeremy Cameron was plagued by hamstring problems over the final 10 weeks, when he missed six games, including a semi-final and preliminary final.
Campbell said the Giants could not be happier with Cameron’s health since he resumed from a break. “He’s flying and he hasn’t missed a session,” Campbell said, adding that he expected Griffen and Deledio to take part in pre-season matches after both stepped up modified programs.
Rory Lobb likely to miss round one as GWS injury curse enters third year
Greater Western Sydney yesterday hosed down injury concerns over new No 1 ruckman Rory Lobb but conceded he was in doubt for the start of the premiership season.
With less than six weeks to the start of the season proper, Lobb’s restricted pre-season *because of previous groin injuries is likely to cost him valuable match conditioning in the JLT Community Series, which could put back his start to 2018.
GWS’s injury curse has *already entered a third season and Lobb is so important that any absence would seriously jeopardise the Giants’ crack at a maiden premiership after losing preliminary finals in the past two seasons.
The club’s best running *defender, Zac Williams, ruptured his Achilles last month at training and could miss the *entire year. In a cruel twist, Williams was initially ruled out for *between six and seven months.
Giants general manager of football operations Wayne Campbell told The Australian his club was taking a “cautious *approach” with Lobb, 25, who was expected to join in full training later this month.
“It’s really been a careful build-up for Rory, as a result of a hangover of groin injuries over the past two years,” Campbell said.
“He’s fine, we’re not concerned and he’s doing plenty of running.
“He could be in full training now but we’ve taken it easy with him for six or seven weeks, which we believe will help him get through an entire season in the ruck.”
Campbell said GWS were “hopeful” Lobb would play in the second JLT practice game against the Swans on March 9 at Blacktown, but added there was a possibility he might not.
Lobb, who was forced to sit out five games last year with soreness in both groins, has been earmarked to take over permanently from the retired Shane Mumford as the Giants’ key big man, as he did superbly in the club’s latest two finals appearances — against the Eagles and *Tigers last year.
After 55 games as a back-up ruckman and key forward, he has replaced Mumford, who was forced to retire prematurely after breaking down again with a serious foot injury against Adelaide in last season’s qualifying final.
The Giants, however, remain confident Lobb’s interrupted preparation will not lead to an extension of the club’s shocking luck with injuries to key personnel in 2016 and 2017 when their seasons ended in preliminary final losses.
After a breakout third season in 2016 where he kicked 29 goals and developed into one of the elite competition’s best contested marks, Lobb resisted overtures from Fremantle and West Coast to return home and signed a two-year contract extension keeping him with the Giants until the end of next year.
GWS backed Lobb to stand up this season after his 70 hit-outs against West Coast and Richmond in the club’s past two finals in Mumford’s absence. Lobb had 151 hit-outs when used sparingly in the ruck in the home-and-away season. Mumford’s 802 tap-outs in 2017 was a benchmark which will be tough to equal.
The concern for GWS coach Leon Cameron if Lobb breaks down again is that he has few other proven ruck options. Next cab off the rank is the moderately performed Dawson Simpson, followed by developing big man Matthew Flynn, 20, who was drafted in 2015.
Another possibility is former Collingwood key-position player Lachie Keefe, who was picked up late last year after being *delisted by the Magpies. Not only has Keefe, 27, not played senior football since 2014, but he has never played as a ruckman.
But in a gamble, the 204 centimetre endurance athlete is being trained up this year for a back-up ruck role. Keefe missed the 2015 and 2016 seasons because of a doping suspension and did not play a single senior game last year when he was returned to Collingwood’s primary list. In Keefe’s 40-game career with the Pies, he has had a total of seven hit-outs.
At one stage earlier last *season, the Giants were unable to select up to 12 of their better players in consecutive rounds. The club conducted a review into its conditioning program but put most injuries down to bad luck. Last year’s priority recruit, Brett Deledio, played only a cameo role towards the end of last season *because of ongoing problems, while fellow experienced midfielder Ryan Griffen was halted in his tracks by ankle injuries after the first three rounds.
Leading goal kicker Jeremy Cameron was plagued by hamstring problems over the final 10 weeks, when he missed six games, including a semi-final and preliminary final.
Campbell said the Giants could not be happier with Cameron’s health since he resumed from a break. “He’s flying and he hasn’t missed a session,” Campbell said, adding that he expected Griffen and Deledio to take part in pre-season matches after both stepped up modified programs.
Touche'
Currently on 16% ownership, and I'm expecting that to climb into the low 20's come season start.
That will put him the top 4 non-Rookie Fwds as far as popularity goes, and I'm just not 100% convinced on him.
It seems most are picking him on the pretense of more midtime, and I just wonder where it comes from. Montagna didn't play that much midtime, then we have:
Ross, Steven, Steele, Newnes, Dunstan, Acres, Weller - add in the short termers Sinclair, Gresham, and Savage - it seems he's going to have push one of the top ones out to get siginificantly more time.
BUT
then you add in Armitage coming back, and unless there is some sort of injury to one of the key mids, I just can't see a significant increase in Billings midtime.
That being the case, I don't see much improvement coming on last seasons 93, maybe 95 or 96 at best, and if that's the best he's going to do, at his price and popularity, I'd just rather look elsewhere.
Currently on 16% ownership, and I'm expecting that to climb into the low 20's come season start.
That will put him the top 4 non-Rookie Fwds as far as popularity goes, and I'm just not 100% convinced on him.
It seems most are picking him on the pretense of more midtime, and I just wonder where it comes from. Montagna didn't play that much midtime, then we have:
Ross, Steven, Steele, Newnes, Dunstan, Acres, Weller - add in the short termers Sinclair, Gresham, and Savage - it seems he's going to have push one of the top ones out to get siginificantly more time.
BUT
then you add in Armitage coming back, and unless there is some sort of injury to one of the key mids, I just can't see a significant increase in Billings midtime.
That being the case, I don't see much improvement coming on last seasons 93, maybe 95 or 96 at best, and if that's the best he's going to do, at his price and popularity, I'd just rather look elsewhere.
For what it’s worth, I had limited interest in Billings early on, but the more I have looked, the more I have liked him. I’m sure you know the bull case so I won’t restate it, but his goal kicking was horrible last year, so if he can simply straighten that up (he’s had specific training for it this off season), that’s potentially 2-3 points per game. It sounds like he may get some additional mid time if the cards fall his way, but I’d be picking him on the basis that straighter kicking and a little natural improvement could push him up to the high 90s even if the extra mid time doesn’t come through. Time will tell!
Sounds good re Heeney and Billings
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-17/race-to-round-one-how-is-your-club-tracking
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-17/race-to-round-one-how-is-your-club-tracking