Docherty would "love" to be back in 2019
Chris Vernuccio
Chris Vernuccio, Tim Michel
Carlton co-captain Sam Docherty hasn’t completely shut the door on a comeback this year but won’t put pressure on himself by setting a return date.
The injured defender had a second knee reconstruction last December after missing the entire 2018 season.
While his rehabilitation is progressing at a quicker rate compared to his previous ACL recovery, Docherty said he won’t play if he is not comfortable with how his knee has recovered.
“With ACL rehabs we don’t actually set timelines on when we’re trying to return. I think that mentally puts you in a bad headspace where you start chasing dates,” Docherty told SEN radio.
“We’re just progressing through my rehab and ticking things off. If it gets late in the year and we’ve ticked everything off and I’m training and going really well, that will be the conversation that we have later in the year.
“There’s a slight possibility and if I put myself in a position where we’re all comfortable then I might still play.
“It’s a hard one. Everyone keeps asking but I don’t have an answer. I’d love to get back out there which is probably the best answer I can get.”
Docherty said he has been running and changing directions for a couple of weeks.
Even though Docherty has been close to the action as a quasi-assistant coach on the interchange bench, he said he missed being out on the field particularly with the Blues having a couple of narrow losses.
“I feel like I want to run out there and actually play the game and impact it like I think I could be able to do.”
Docherty, meanwhile, said Carlton must be “smarter” in crunch moments after squandering winning positions against Gold Coast and Hawthorn in the past three weeks.
The Blues went down by two points to the Suns after conceding a goal with 14 seconds to play, while they led Hawthorn by six goals in the second quarter before copping a five-point defeat.
The losses either side of a win over Western Bulldogs have left Carlton with a 1-5 record as it prepares to face fellow struggler North Melbourne on Sunday.
“We are really confident in the way we are playing our footy and what we can produce week in week out in terms of a contest and putting ourselves in games,” Docherty said.
“I think the next step for our group is being a bit smarter toward the end of games and being able to get our way through and turn these small losses into wins.”
Docherty said watching the last minute from the sidelines had been “frantic” as Zac Fisher hit the post with a rushed snap which would have put Carlton level.
“Our inability to wrest momentum back throughout that third quarter when the Hawks really got a run on in the end, really hurt us,” he said.
Chris Vernuccio
Chris Vernuccio, Tim Michel
Carlton co-captain Sam Docherty hasn’t completely shut the door on a comeback this year but won’t put pressure on himself by setting a return date.
The injured defender had a second knee reconstruction last December after missing the entire 2018 season.
While his rehabilitation is progressing at a quicker rate compared to his previous ACL recovery, Docherty said he won’t play if he is not comfortable with how his knee has recovered.
“With ACL rehabs we don’t actually set timelines on when we’re trying to return. I think that mentally puts you in a bad headspace where you start chasing dates,” Docherty told SEN radio.
“We’re just progressing through my rehab and ticking things off. If it gets late in the year and we’ve ticked everything off and I’m training and going really well, that will be the conversation that we have later in the year.
“There’s a slight possibility and if I put myself in a position where we’re all comfortable then I might still play.
“It’s a hard one. Everyone keeps asking but I don’t have an answer. I’d love to get back out there which is probably the best answer I can get.”
Docherty said he has been running and changing directions for a couple of weeks.
Even though Docherty has been close to the action as a quasi-assistant coach on the interchange bench, he said he missed being out on the field particularly with the Blues having a couple of narrow losses.
“I feel like I want to run out there and actually play the game and impact it like I think I could be able to do.”
Docherty, meanwhile, said Carlton must be “smarter” in crunch moments after squandering winning positions against Gold Coast and Hawthorn in the past three weeks.
The Blues went down by two points to the Suns after conceding a goal with 14 seconds to play, while they led Hawthorn by six goals in the second quarter before copping a five-point defeat.
The losses either side of a win over Western Bulldogs have left Carlton with a 1-5 record as it prepares to face fellow struggler North Melbourne on Sunday.
“We are really confident in the way we are playing our footy and what we can produce week in week out in terms of a contest and putting ourselves in games,” Docherty said.
“I think the next step for our group is being a bit smarter toward the end of games and being able to get our way through and turn these small losses into wins.”
Docherty said watching the last minute from the sidelines had been “frantic” as Zac Fisher hit the post with a rushed snap which would have put Carlton level.
“Our inability to wrest momentum back throughout that third quarter when the Hawks really got a run on in the end, really hurt us,” he said.
