Should have operated last year when he sat out the last 3 months, come back to bite us now.
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,8668926-23211,00.html
GEELONG's captain and best player Steven King has broken down with an achilles problem and could be sidelined for 10 weeks.
The revelation last night that the ruckman could miss the first four rounds of the season could severely hamper the Cats' push for an overdue finals campaign this year.
King is believed to be shattered after missing the last eight games in 2003 with the same problem, a form of achilles tendonopathy.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson said last night King's playing future is in limbo.
"He's had another injection and that will determine when he can resume training," Thompson said.
"So until he gets to that stage, I have no idea when he can play again. He hasn't had a good run at it at all."
Despite more than three months of rest last year after receiving a slight tear in the tendon, King's problem flared again this week, with scar tissue causing severe discomfort.
The injury is prominent in basketball and with heavier sportsmen because of the extra force on the achilles tendon. Geelong elected not to have King undergo an operation last year, but surgery may be a more likely option this time.
"Surgery has been discussed for eight months," Thompson said.
The full extent of King's problem is expected to be known today after a thorough medical examination, but the Cats fear he will have another long lay-off.
It's a severe blow to the club, particularly after King said last Sunday he was confident he had made a complete recovery from the injury.
The dual best-and-fairest winner and 2000 All-Australian ruckman had intended to play against Port Adelaide in Cairns in the opening round of the Wizard Cup tomorrow week.
The 25-year-old second-year captain first damaged the tendon in round three last season but persisted in playing on a restricted training program until round 14 when he gave in to medical opinion and curtailed his season.
Thompson conceded late last season that King should have been spared the frustration and rested when the injury first flared in April.
"Six or eight weeks off might have been the right thing to do, but you just go on the medical advice and they were saying 'if you manage him he should get over it'," Thompson said.
Neither painkilling injections nor sleeping in a special foot brace helped his rehabilitation.
Following the trading of giant ruckman Peter Street to the Western Bulldogs last October, Geelong will have to rely on Hawthorn recruit David Loats, 23, Paul Chambers, 21, and pinch-hit ruckman Henry Playfair.
Father-son recruit, 18-year-old Mark Blake, and 21-year-old rookie-listed ruckman Jeff Smith will be on stand-by despite their inexperience.
Street played 17 games in three years for the Cats, including all eight in King's absence last year.
However, the Cats preferred Loats, who played eight games for the Hawks last season for a career tally of 11. He missed six rounds in 2003 because of foot and hamstring problems.
Chambers emerged last year with 13 games after playing three in his first season in 2002.
Playfair, 21, played six games on debut last year.
Thompson this week had flagged that he wanted two ruckmen each week in his starting 22 this season, with either Loats or Chambers as support for King
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,8668926-23211,00.html
GEELONG's captain and best player Steven King has broken down with an achilles problem and could be sidelined for 10 weeks.
The revelation last night that the ruckman could miss the first four rounds of the season could severely hamper the Cats' push for an overdue finals campaign this year.
King is believed to be shattered after missing the last eight games in 2003 with the same problem, a form of achilles tendonopathy.
Geelong coach Mark Thompson said last night King's playing future is in limbo.
"He's had another injection and that will determine when he can resume training," Thompson said.
"So until he gets to that stage, I have no idea when he can play again. He hasn't had a good run at it at all."
Despite more than three months of rest last year after receiving a slight tear in the tendon, King's problem flared again this week, with scar tissue causing severe discomfort.
The injury is prominent in basketball and with heavier sportsmen because of the extra force on the achilles tendon. Geelong elected not to have King undergo an operation last year, but surgery may be a more likely option this time.
"Surgery has been discussed for eight months," Thompson said.
The full extent of King's problem is expected to be known today after a thorough medical examination, but the Cats fear he will have another long lay-off.
It's a severe blow to the club, particularly after King said last Sunday he was confident he had made a complete recovery from the injury.
The dual best-and-fairest winner and 2000 All-Australian ruckman had intended to play against Port Adelaide in Cairns in the opening round of the Wizard Cup tomorrow week.
The 25-year-old second-year captain first damaged the tendon in round three last season but persisted in playing on a restricted training program until round 14 when he gave in to medical opinion and curtailed his season.
Thompson conceded late last season that King should have been spared the frustration and rested when the injury first flared in April.
"Six or eight weeks off might have been the right thing to do, but you just go on the medical advice and they were saying 'if you manage him he should get over it'," Thompson said.
Neither painkilling injections nor sleeping in a special foot brace helped his rehabilitation.
Following the trading of giant ruckman Peter Street to the Western Bulldogs last October, Geelong will have to rely on Hawthorn recruit David Loats, 23, Paul Chambers, 21, and pinch-hit ruckman Henry Playfair.
Father-son recruit, 18-year-old Mark Blake, and 21-year-old rookie-listed ruckman Jeff Smith will be on stand-by despite their inexperience.
Street played 17 games in three years for the Cats, including all eight in King's absence last year.
However, the Cats preferred Loats, who played eight games for the Hawks last season for a career tally of 11. He missed six rounds in 2003 because of foot and hamstring problems.
Chambers emerged last year with 13 games after playing three in his first season in 2002.
Playfair, 21, played six games on debut last year.
Thompson this week had flagged that he wanted two ruckmen each week in his starting 22 this season, with either Loats or Chambers as support for King
