Didak return imminent
12:35:53 PM Wed 7 February, 2007
Nick Hulett
collingwoodfc.com.au
Collingwood star and 2006 Copeland Trophy winner Alan Didak spoke exclusively to CTV at the Lexus Centre on Wednesday about recovering from his knee injury and when he’ll be back in the black and white stripes.
Didak, 23, enjoyed his best season at the club in 2006, playing all 23 games and capping his best-and-fairest honour with All-Australian selection.
It was revealed, however, that he finished the season playing with a partial tear in his anterior cruciate ligament, an injury not as severe as a full rupture of the ligament, but still requiring extensive rehabilitation over the off-season.
With the 2007 season nearly upon us, Didak has made great progress since having surgery and is now looking at making a return to the Collingwood line-up early in the home-and-away rounds.
“It could be anywhere from round one to round eight, not that I’m going to put a match on it, but if I could get back then, it’s still pretty early (in the season), so I'm looking forward to it”, Didak told CTV.
Didak, who has notched 102 games since being drafted by the club with the third overall selection in the 2000 AFL Draft, did concede it’s been a tough haul getting back on track, but having really stepped up his training in the past three weeks, a return to footy is exciting.
“It was pretty tough to finish on the end of the season with a knee reconstruction, and also with a slow start to the pre-season.
“I’ve regained my training and back to square one, so hopefully I can be back as soon as possible.”
Collingwood’s chief of football Geoff Walsh discussed Didak’s return with collingwoodfc.com.au.
“The good thing about Alan is, the last two or three weeks his training’s really stepped up, his running program has really increased and he’s handling that really well”, Walsh said on Wednesday.
“He’s done some really good, strong running in the last couple of sessions in particular, and we’re all happy with that.
“I know David Buttifant (head of conditioning) is delighted with the progress he’s made recently, so much so that we are pretty confident at this stage, barring unforeseen mishaps, that he will be playing somewhere in that round one to round four of the premiership season vicinity, so that’s a great diagnosis at this stage."
12:35:53 PM Wed 7 February, 2007
Nick Hulett
collingwoodfc.com.au
Collingwood star and 2006 Copeland Trophy winner Alan Didak spoke exclusively to CTV at the Lexus Centre on Wednesday about recovering from his knee injury and when he’ll be back in the black and white stripes.
Didak, 23, enjoyed his best season at the club in 2006, playing all 23 games and capping his best-and-fairest honour with All-Australian selection.
It was revealed, however, that he finished the season playing with a partial tear in his anterior cruciate ligament, an injury not as severe as a full rupture of the ligament, but still requiring extensive rehabilitation over the off-season.
With the 2007 season nearly upon us, Didak has made great progress since having surgery and is now looking at making a return to the Collingwood line-up early in the home-and-away rounds.
“It could be anywhere from round one to round eight, not that I’m going to put a match on it, but if I could get back then, it’s still pretty early (in the season), so I'm looking forward to it”, Didak told CTV.
Didak, who has notched 102 games since being drafted by the club with the third overall selection in the 2000 AFL Draft, did concede it’s been a tough haul getting back on track, but having really stepped up his training in the past three weeks, a return to footy is exciting.
“It was pretty tough to finish on the end of the season with a knee reconstruction, and also with a slow start to the pre-season.
“I’ve regained my training and back to square one, so hopefully I can be back as soon as possible.”
Collingwood’s chief of football Geoff Walsh discussed Didak’s return with collingwoodfc.com.au.
“The good thing about Alan is, the last two or three weeks his training’s really stepped up, his running program has really increased and he’s handling that really well”, Walsh said on Wednesday.
“He’s done some really good, strong running in the last couple of sessions in particular, and we’re all happy with that.
“I know David Buttifant (head of conditioning) is delighted with the progress he’s made recently, so much so that we are pretty confident at this stage, barring unforeseen mishaps, that he will be playing somewhere in that round one to round four of the premiership season vicinity, so that’s a great diagnosis at this stage."
If his ready, get him in 
