Injury Dawson Simpson - second back surgery

[cats_09]

statement released by the club tonight regarding Simpson:

Geelong's ruck stocks have taken a hit with developing ruckman Dawson Simpson having back surgery on the weekend.
Simpson had the surgery on a troublesome disc in his lower back.
Geelong Cats Football Operations Manager, Steve Hocking, confirmed the operation would keep Simpson out for a period of time.
"Dawson had completed a majority of the pre-season thus far and the surgery is expected to set him back approximately 12 weeks." Hocking said.
"He will be able to resume his training program after this period of time."
Simpson has played three games for the Cats after debuting in 2010.'

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/news/2013-02-05/simpson-sidelined

would be nice to get some good news out of the club regarding previously injured players and that they are actually on track to play at the start of the season rather than injury setbacks & further bouts of surgery. This puts a lot of pressure on West, H. Mac & Vardy to be right to go, we can't afford long term injuries to any of them.

 

[walker80]

You could have basically copied and pasted that from 12 months ago. Almost exactly the same timing, injury and also having trained most of the preseason as last year. Devo'd for poor Simpson. He'll find it hard to get up and fight for his spot on the list now.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Doesn't look good for Simpson. Poor bloke

 

[Sttew]

Unbelievable bad luck. Let's hope Vardy stays healthy & fit

 

[manboob]

Thank god we got H-Mac!

 

[Vdubs]

I am really shattered about this; was seriously hoping his luck and our luck had turned this year. All I can say is Ottens had back surgery, and we know the rest.
But twice!. He has the longest back in the AFL, that must be relevant. His legs are nowhere near as long as his torso.

 

[meto]

This would open the door for someone like Walker or Bathie, wouldn't it? even Eardley or Burbury!
Should give the rookie's good reason to impress in the NAB.
I think we need a ruck replacement in the not to distant.

 

[thejester]

I don't want to be pessimistic but you'd think that's almost it for big Dawson. No clear place for him in the senior side and a recurring, serious injury just wiped out a quarter of the season.

 

[Big Fozza]

Poor dude. Hopefully he can come back.

I just had dejavu from posting in the menzel thread

 

[FredLeDeux]

Unbelievable bad luck. Let's hope Vardy stays healthy & fit

Thank god we got H-Mac!

Let's hope all 3 ruckmen stay healthy and fit.
12 weeks before he starts training, plus the 4 weeks' preseason he didn't do, etc, etc, is going to put him way into the 2nd half of the season before he plays, let alone gets match fit.

 

[Vdubs]

Thank god we got H-Mac!

Really?

 

[manboob]

yeah, shit luck for the guy no denying that, but that doesn't change the fact.

 

[Vdubs]

yeah, shit luck for the guy no denying that, but that doesn't change the fact.

I was commenting on H-Mac, hope he turns out to be the ruckman you expect.
He hasn't been endowed with his own share of injury luck, you do realise.

 

[Cursed Cat]

I was commenting on H-Mac, hope he turns out to be the ruckman you expect.
He hasn't been endowed with his own share of injury luck, you do realise.

yeah I also hold concerns that McIntosh's relative fragility could come back to bite us this year, leaving Westy to do it all one more time around.

 

[FredLeDeux]

yeah I also hold concerns that McIntosh's relative fragility could come back to bite us this year, leaving Westy to do it all one more time around.

Yes, although he would have back-up in Vardy this time round.

 

[Cursed Cat]

Yes, although he would have back-up in Vardy this time round.

Atheists or not, pray that Vardy stays fit !!

 

[Vdubs]

Atheists or not, pray that Vardy stays fit !!

Watch out for Bathie

 

[Vdubs]

Let's hope all 3 ruckmen stay healthy and fit.
12 weeks before he starts training, plus the 4 weeks' preseason he didn't do, etc, etc, is going to put him way into the 2nd half of the season before he plays, let alone gets match fit.

deja-vu 2012

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Hate to call it this early, but that could well be it for Dawson. Same surgery he had 12 months ago, and we saw last year how that kept him out til mid year, and when he came back he was a long way behind fitness wise. In his sixth year, where he has to fight to prove himself worthy of another contract, he may not have the time to do it now.

Regards our ruck stocks though, it's not a huge hit for 2013 as realistically he was fourth in line. It just puts a premium on HMac staying fit, but given HMac's quality and what we gave up for him, we were always backing our ability to get him on the park and keep him there.

Third point, probably gives the opportunity to elevate Walker in the first half of the year if his form warrants it.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

If he gets back around the same time and in the same condition as last year, he'll get games this year. We need him. Not sure what it means for him in 2014 and beyond though. Back injuries are not good news for anyone and chronic back injuries are very dangerous for 6'9, 23 year old ruckmen.

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

Hate to call it this early, but that could well be it for Dawson. Same surgery he had 12 months ago, and we saw last year how that kept him out til mid year, and when he came back he was a long way behind fitness wise. In his sixth year, where he has to fight to prove himself worthy of another contract, he may not have the time to do it now.

Regards our ruck stocks though, it's not a huge hit for 2013 as realistically he was fourth in line. It just puts a premium on HMac staying fit, but given HMac's quality and what we gave up for him, we were always backing our ability to get him on the park and keep him there.

Third point, probably gives the opportunity to elevate Walker in the first half of the year if his form warrants it.

Yeah I don't like the sound of this either, to be honest. When a really big guy has ongoing back problems while trying to play a contact sport, something has to give sooner rather than later - with Dawson unfortunately it would seem that it is his spine that is doing the giving. I'm not holding much optimism for his career.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Yeah I don't like the sound of this either, to be honest. When a really big guy has ongoing back problems while trying to play a contact sport, something has to give sooner rather than later - with Dawson unfortunately it would seem that it is his spine that is doing the giving. I'm not holding much optimism for his career.

Correct. The fact that it doesn't sound like a new injury, but rather a recurrence of, or related to the previous injury, has to be really of concern. And time is most certainly not on his side.

 

[FredLeDeux]

If he gets back around the same time and in the same condition as last year, he'll get games this year. We need him. Not sure what it means for him in 2014 and beyond though. Back injuries are not good news for anyone and chronic back injuries are very dangerous for 6'9, 23 year old ruckmen.

Correct. The fact that it doesn't sound like a new injury, but rather a recurrence of, or related to the previous injury, has to be really of concern. And time is most certainly not on his side.

It throws a lot of club planning into - well, not chaos, but some disarray.
It seems clear to me that McIntosh was recruited for 2 main reasons - to help with a crack at this year's premiership, and to provide cover until we could see whether (a) Simpson is good enough, and ready, or (b) we need to recruit someone else, be it a rookie or off the shelf.
Whether Simpson recovers and gets games this year or not (and probably not, if McIntosh/West/Vardy can handle the load), it throws the "next 1st ruckman" planning back a season. This is getting into the danger zone for planning, given McIntosh's possible use by date, and the fact that neither giant rookies nor useful rejects are always available upon demand.
And, of course, McIntosh is unlikely to be match-fit for Rd 1; and no guarantee to stay on the park anyway.
Last, as everyone else has said, recurring back problems may be terminal (career-wise) for Simpson, though I hope for his sake that they aren't. For our sake too, but more for his.

 

[TheJimmyCartel]

I wonder if this happened the week before the draft whether they would've taken Grundy.......

 

[meto]

I wonder if this happened the week before the draft whether they would've taken Grundy.......

Crossed my mind to, we can all be geniuses with hindsight, still happy with our young draftees though.
All the same we're now in the hunt for a young ruckman, glad Wells recruited HMac, what a relief.