benny's buddy
7 Jan 2004, 21:41
[QUOTE]Spriggs leads the way for Cats
2:45:02 PM Tue 6 January, 2004
Angus Morgan
afl.com.au
Geelong midfielder David Spriggs has signalled that he’s better prepared than ever for a big season with a scorching time around the Tan.
Spriggs, who managed 16 games last season after being sidelined by a knee reconstruction in 2002, led the way for the Cats on Monday evening, completing his 3.85 km lap of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne in 12 minutes 48 seconds in the club’s first training run for the new year.
By way of comparison, Paul Licuria was first home for Collingwood in 13.33 when the Magpies’ pre-season commenced in late November.
World Cup 3000 metres champion Craig Mottram holds the record around the Tan – a sprightly 10.12.[QUOTE]
Good to see Spriggsy back in good form. Hope he can get back to his best this year.
ScouseCat
8 Jan 2004, 20:20
Now if only Spriggs can improve his kicking when running at high speed, he'll be right. :)
SpRiGgZy
9 Jan 2004, 13:07
hopefully Spriggs can get up to his best form this season and i hope we stays with us i am going to be very ****ed off if he leaves....
ScouseCat
10 Jan 2004, 20:36
It's make or break time for Spriggs
David Davutovic
Geelong Advertiser
http://gfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=130339
If the Cats could mirror their improvement on a particular player, it would most certainly be David Spriggs.
http://gfc.com.au/cp2/c2/webi/article/130203by.jpg
Spriggs, a champion high school athlete with great endurance, has set the training track alight over the summer after a frustrating 2003 season, used as a spare parts player in most of his 16 matches.
He failed to recapture the form that earnt him much praise in his first two seasons.
He injured his knee in a beach mishap after the 2001 season and missed 2002 after a reconstruction.
The lead-up to last season was filled with hesitancy, Spriggs only resuming full-scale training this exact time last year.
Now the 22-year-old has cleared his mind from the uncertainty that plagued him last year and he's back to his blistering best, running The Tan track in 12 minutes, 40 seconds - 25 seconds ahead of Cameron Ling.
"Last year the whole pre-season focused around my knee and making sure I got through and the season was almost given to making sure I could get through and play as much as I could," Spriggs said.
"This pre-season the focus was on getting fit and strong and working on kicking and disposal rather than worrying about the knee."
"Last year it felt about 90 per cent of what it used to be like and I couldn't go as fast as before, but when the season starts it'll be 100 per cent, now it's about 98 per cent, I've just got to get it a little stronger."
Coach Mark Thompson said Spriggs was reaching a crucial point in his career.
"He's over his knee and he's got a few boys in there that can take his spot, his challenge is to get a game, then get on the ground and get a start in the midfield," Thompson said.
"He's back to how he was before he hurt his knee and he's really doing well in all the running at the moment."
Spriggs said the on-ball department's laborious pre-season had helped him push himself to another level.
He admits feeling helpless at various stages last season, but improved fitness and an emphasis on disposal should see Spriggs tear up opposition midfields more frequently.
"Even though I played 16 games, I want to try my best to get back to where I want to be, a lot of it was played off the bench or filling little roles," Spriggs said. "I had to think about results as well as all the things that happened in the year gone by and I felt a little helpless because I couldn't play the same role I did two years before."