Martin, will break records with this acl recovery....not supposed to be back until mid season.
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Training Pre-Season Training '25 - '26
- Thread starter ghostdog
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- Apr 23, 2016
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Current criteria for return to play after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an evidence-based literature review - PMC
Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) has continued to be a popular surgical option in the last decade, and frequently we have seen athletes complete successful surgical intervention and rehabilitation. Even more so, the time that it ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Looking at this it appears 9 -12 months (depending on the type of surgery required) is the window.
Scans confirm ACL fears for Martin, midfielder to meet with surgeon
Nic Martin and Will Setterfield will miss the remainder of Essendon's season
www.afl.com.au
So injury around mid-July, would put his return to play window as early as April for a 'proper' length rehab (shorter isn't necessarily better). I doubt we're looking at winning a Premiership in 2026 anyway so I'd prefer whatever timeline he needs to be fully and properly rehabbed ready to be back to his best in 2027.
- Sep 22, 2011
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Hopefully Binns training is just a favour to his manager
Caddy's quads have arrived.
Holy smokes.
Holy smokes.
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Interesting, have heard a few surgeons say they now consider the old "12 month" rule to be out of date... particularly for full-time athletes who are rehabbing religiously.
Then again, others disagree.
Wahooti Fandango
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Why, what's wrong with Jaxon Binns?
VFL BnF. 21 years old. Sounds like he'd be good depth. I thought he also had very decent skills...
Merrett camp confirmed
fl4gd0n5
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I remember Draper saying on 200plus that Martin is aiming to play on ANZAC day…
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Skills are poor
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Would be about the 9-month mark, on the early side of the timeline but definitely doable if the operation he had allows it given it sounds like he's doing absolutely everything right on the rehab front.
fl4gd0n5
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Good luck to him.
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Pretty small sample size of games
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We don’t want him rushing. Time is just as important as the rehab. You come back too early, the risk of rerupture is very high.
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His inability to play his role is even worse. Hence why Voss wanted him gone,
- Thread starter
- #67
Ah yeah, that's a thing.
I can't find VFL stats for DE.
Disposal numbers look decent. Some teens, lots of 20s, one 30s.
fl4gd0n5
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Not sure how much you can read into these stats.
I've only seen him play the few times that he's played in the AFL, so it's hard for me to judge him off of that. What I will say though is that Carlton delisted two players with a year left to run on their contract. Binns and Hollands... and Hollands had issues with alcoholism that are now public.
I'm not saying Binns has any issues like Hollands, but he clearly was doing something that Carlton didn't like, and to delist a player with a year to run on their contract means he really convinced them that he wasn't worth it. I hope he's just a stubborn young man with a shitty attitude that he will grow out of, and not any other issues.
No doubt the club will have looked into the reasons he got sacked. If he's training for an SSP spot that must mean Essendon think they can support him, and that he won't be a problem for the group. That being said, his best attribute is running, and that was Carlton's biggest issue, and he wasn't getting a game, so who knows.
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- #69
Looks like he had multiple roles; fullback, hbf, mid.
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fl4gd0n5
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He's too small to be an AFL mid. He's an outside runner. So I understand why he's training for a spot given that's probably the team's weakest area.
I don't even know how he would get onto the list. List spots are tight as it is, I think there are five senior list spots and no rookie spots available. And Essendon currently have five picks for the draft, plus two NGA players available, plus the club has left the door open to bringing Setterfield back, which may be a priority given they see his issue is injury not quality.
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- #71
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- #72
Yeah I don't see how there would be a spot available either. Are we still able to delist players or is that window closed?
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- #73
I don't think that last Duz photo was too far from the truth.
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- #74
CJohns says James Polkinghorne was working with the players today.
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- #75
Per Herald Sun. I'm basically robbing Blitz 
Taken from: No Cookies | Herald Sun
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...s/news-story/7c77e485ffac1e8bf895d32edff3e5c4
Merrett is under no obligation to attend training until November 24 but has been a regular fixture in the opening fortnight alongside his first to fourth-year teammates in previous years.
The six-time Essendon best and fairest was in Queensland for a wedding on the weekend and did not come to the club as other senior players including captaincy contenders Andrew McGrath, Mason Redman and Sam Durham began their pre-seasons early.
Key defender Zach Reid said Merrett’s absence was “no big issue” as he was reluctant to weigh in on whether the 30-year-old should be replaced as captain.
Bombers chief executive Craig Vozzo said last month the club would go through its “normal process” to appoint its skipper after Merrett was unsuccessful in his bid to force a trade to Hawthorn.
“The group is galvanised. We’re all good,” Reid said when asked how he had felt watching the Merrett situation unfold over the off-season.
“(Merrett) is obviously not required yet, so that’s no big issue. But we’ll welcome him back with open arms. He’s our best player, and there’s no denying that.
“He’s going to make us a better team, so we’re going to welcome him back.”
Reid was unsure whether the star midfielder would return before the senior players officially begin pre-season on November 24.
“I don’t know, he’s still got two weeks until he officially comes back … so when he does, we will support him,” he said.
“I haven’t given (Merrett’s captaincy) much thought. I suppose it’s a process every year … I’ll observe over the next couple of months and when that time comes, I’ll cast my vote, but I’m not too sure.
“I’m sure he will address it when he comes back, he’s been such a pro throughout his career.
“I think the group just wants to move on … you can’t let that sort of stuff derail a pre-season or an off-season. We’ll welcome him back and get on with the job we’re all here to do.”
INNESS A POPULAR FIGURE
New high performance boss Mathew Inness was out on the track as about 35 AFL-listed players and a handful of VFL players opened their pre-season campaigns.
The former Bulldogs and Eagles fitness guru watched as 15 young Bombers set off for a 2km time trial, with delisted Carlton midfielder Jaxon Binns holding off last year’s winner Angus Clarke in a tight finish well ahead of Archie Roberts, Saad El-Hawli and Jayden Nguyen.
Reid did not run in the time trial but moved smoothly as he returned to training following hamstring surgery in July.
He said Inness and his strength and conditioning team had been “great” as he grew in optimism entering his sixth season.
“I feel like our off-season program has been top-notch, and I think a lot of the boys agree,” Reid said.
“It’s really individualised, so I think the boys are liking that and I’ve enjoyed it.”
Star defender Jordan Ridley, who was frustrated with the club’s previous fitness regime after another injury-riddled campaign, joined teammates in ballwork in another positive sign for Bombers fans.
Training 10/11/25
Taken from: No Cookies | Herald Sun
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/...s/news-story/7c77e485ffac1e8bf895d32edff3e5c4
MERRETT MISSES OPTIONAL RETURN
Essendon star Zach Merrett missed an opportunity to show his face at The Hangar as almost 40 Bombers hit the track on the first day of pre-season.Merrett is under no obligation to attend training until November 24 but has been a regular fixture in the opening fortnight alongside his first to fourth-year teammates in previous years.
The six-time Essendon best and fairest was in Queensland for a wedding on the weekend and did not come to the club as other senior players including captaincy contenders Andrew McGrath, Mason Redman and Sam Durham began their pre-seasons early.
Key defender Zach Reid said Merrett’s absence was “no big issue” as he was reluctant to weigh in on whether the 30-year-old should be replaced as captain.
Bombers chief executive Craig Vozzo said last month the club would go through its “normal process” to appoint its skipper after Merrett was unsuccessful in his bid to force a trade to Hawthorn.
“The group is galvanised. We’re all good,” Reid said when asked how he had felt watching the Merrett situation unfold over the off-season.
“(Merrett) is obviously not required yet, so that’s no big issue. But we’ll welcome him back with open arms. He’s our best player, and there’s no denying that.
“He’s going to make us a better team, so we’re going to welcome him back.”
Reid was unsure whether the star midfielder would return before the senior players officially begin pre-season on November 24.
“I don’t know, he’s still got two weeks until he officially comes back … so when he does, we will support him,” he said.
“I haven’t given (Merrett’s captaincy) much thought. I suppose it’s a process every year … I’ll observe over the next couple of months and when that time comes, I’ll cast my vote, but I’m not too sure.
“I’m sure he will address it when he comes back, he’s been such a pro throughout his career.
“I think the group just wants to move on … you can’t let that sort of stuff derail a pre-season or an off-season. We’ll welcome him back and get on with the job we’re all here to do.”
INNESS A POPULAR FIGURE
New high performance boss Mathew Inness was out on the track as about 35 AFL-listed players and a handful of VFL players opened their pre-season campaigns.
The former Bulldogs and Eagles fitness guru watched as 15 young Bombers set off for a 2km time trial, with delisted Carlton midfielder Jaxon Binns holding off last year’s winner Angus Clarke in a tight finish well ahead of Archie Roberts, Saad El-Hawli and Jayden Nguyen.
Reid did not run in the time trial but moved smoothly as he returned to training following hamstring surgery in July.
He said Inness and his strength and conditioning team had been “great” as he grew in optimism entering his sixth season.
“I feel like our off-season program has been top-notch, and I think a lot of the boys agree,” Reid said.
“It’s really individualised, so I think the boys are liking that and I’ve enjoyed it.”
Star defender Jordan Ridley, who was frustrated with the club’s previous fitness regime after another injury-riddled campaign, joined teammates in ballwork in another positive sign for Bombers fans.
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