News Latest update on Andrew Walker

[Aphrodite]

Good news is he is hoping to start training in a few weeks

Good luck Andy & come back stronger ......... we need you !!!!!!!!

http://www.carltonfc.com.au/season2008/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/76471/default.aspx

ANDREW Walker has endured more than his fair share of injury-related misery over the journey, but things are finally looking up for the unlucky Blue.

A recurring shoulder injury that saw the joint become dislocated regularly threatened his season before it had even started, but major surgery a month ago is already yielding promising results and has given the 22-year-old renewed optimism for the 2009 campaign.

"This stupid right shoulder of mine, it just wouldn't stay in, but the surgeon has told me that you'd basically need a tractor to pull the thing out now," Walker says.

"If I can go out [and play] with those words then I'm going to be as confident as ever with it.

"I'm only about one or two weeks off training again which is a great result. In my mind I'd like to be back playing in two or three weeks, but I know the doctors won't let me do that. Worst-case scenario it's probably eight weeks which is a lot sooner than was first thought.

"We thought it was going to be the whole season early. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself to get back, but I know in my heart how well the boys are doing and I'd love to be a part of that again."

Since the shoulder was initially damaged in a seemingly innocuous off-the-ball wrestle with Hawthorn's Jordan Lewis in 2007, Walker has undergone two cartilage anchoring procedures, but doctors decided to take a different tack this time around.

"I had a bone graft done which I've never had before," Walker explains.

"What they do is take a piece of bone from a different part of your shoulder where it's not a contact surface area and they pull that up onto the front of the capsule which is where you're most vulnerable to dislocations.

"So basically they put a 3cm piece of bone on the front of my shoulder to give me a bit more depth there because I've actually got pretty shallow shoulder joints.

"They try the cartilage anchoring first because you can get a full range of motion back, but this operation does restrict you a little bit, which is why I haven't had it done before."

Teammate Cameron Cloke has undergone the same procedure and Walker has drawn a lot confidence from discussions with him coupled with the results he's already seen and felt for himself.

"Surprisingly enough I've found that it's really freed up and I've finally got a good sense that the joint's actually 'sucking in' really hard again," he says.

"I looked at some of the blokes that have had it done and asked myself, 'Well, have they really lost that much range?' Clokey had it done and he still rucks for us and throws himself around and it doesn't seem to restrict him that much.

"As he said, and as I've already found out, you can get back into it pretty quick. You don't have to wait for muscles to start switching on or cartilage to strengthen up.

"It's a bone graft so basically you just need to give it two weeks and then it's up to you to start smashing into it with the physio on the mobility side of things."

The former No.2 draft pick won't actually be 'smashing into' the joint just yet, but is back running and is confident of joining in contact drills with the main group in about a month.

He's ecstatic with the situation he finds himself in now which is in stark contrast to how he felt following his latest, and hopefully last, dislocation during a VFL practice match with the Bullants.

"I did it in the first 20 seconds of the game, but it had already slipped a couple of times before that," he says.

"I was just trying to see if I could play through it. I ran out there and dislocated it and then ran back to the bench and got them to pop it back in. I thought to myself 'I've just got to test it here'. If it popped out again then I knew I'd have to have another operation.

"I was pretty down, but I'm pretty excited about it all now. Hearing the words of the surgeon and knowing what's been done has really refreshed me mentally with regard to my football.

"When you've been injured for that long you start to think whether it's all worth it, it's just so tough to get back into it, but hearing those words and being back with the boys has really refreshed me."

Walker spent the two weeks following the surgery convalescing at his family home in Echuca, which he credits with restoring him to high spirits.

With the side playing with renewed optimism in 2009, Walker is determined to play a role in what he hopes will be a late-season push into what he would be his first finals campaign.

"Hopefully I'll be coming back at just the right time and might be able to have a bit of an impact."

 

[Alpha1]

Wow that is awesome news, we need him back. Hopefully he can get some games in the reserves in about 2 months. Good luck Andy boy, hurry and get back in.

 

[Aphrodite]

Wow that is awesome news, we need him back. Hopefully he can get some games in the reserves in about 2 months. Good luck Andy boy, hurry and get back in.

Fantastic news ......... gee I miss him Alpha & hopefully he gets back at the business end of the season where he will make a significant impact

 

[Cruiser23]

Fantastic news.

 

[Alpha1]

Well I do believe he is a vital part of our side. He is one player who can run and carry, and his pace comes in handy when you want to break the lines. And to top all that, he is a versatile player can play almost every position on the ground.

 

[Bluebear]

Great news. Sounds like the surgery has gone well for Tex, and he's not too stiff. They will be wanting to get some strength around the joint to stabilise it, but it would be great to see him in some form this year, if not in Navy blue, then red and white.

Great work.

 

[Aphrodite]

Well I do believe he is a vital part of our side. He is one player who can run and carry, and his pace comes in handy when you want to break the lines. And to top all that, he is a versatile player can play almost every position on the ground.

Spot on

 

[HBF]

Really good news this.
Great to think that he could be training again in a few weeks, and then see him front up for the Bullants perhaps midway through the season. Given that the doctor has said that he will need a tractor to pull the shoulder out again, i'm sure we all hope that this is the last time he has any shoulder problems.

 

[Banga19]

Exciting news

 

[Malifice]

Great news.

Cant wait to see him back (hopefully around the HFF).

 

[TOPBLUE_25]

Sweet!

 

[Salaryman]

With his dodgy shoulders we should play him where he is less likely to receive hard physical contact.....














somewhere within 5 meters of Ryan Houlihan should do

 

[diesel1]

You bloody ripper! CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!

 

[Charbzilla]

This is fantastic! The drive is still there. Sounds like its the end of the ongoing problems!

*thumbs up*

 

[Crippa#9]

great stuff, with Walk's up and running he hand Hadley can be the bulldogs feeding Juddy, Murph and Gibba in what will be an unstoppable midfield!

 

[Jeremias]

Great news.

Walks has been extremely unlucky with injury so I'm looking forward to him being fully fit and firing in the senior team. Whether that be later this season or next season, we need to be patient.

 

[Marc Shmurf 3]

Wont see this boy shirking a contest...

Need him back asap...

recover well A Rod... you are sorely needed

 

[thylacine60]

News as exciting as any this year. This bloke ties us to a period in the club's history when he was one of the rare shining lights in what seemed then to be eternal darkness. Having him back will really consolidate a feeling of progress for us as Tex establishes himself as one of our more mature players. He really deserves a break - hope this is it.

 

[Team Mo']

Great news for the club but especially for Walks. There would be nothing worse then sitting out for a whole year doing nothing.

Hope he comes back at the right time however. Would rather too late then too soon.

 

[gbatman]

Excellent news, we really need to get Jamison fixed up too. Make that a fab5 and we'll be laughing! We really need Walks tearing through the midfield.

 

[thylacine60]

Yarran playing tomorrow

Walker back in 6 - 8

What next: Warnock killing it at the centre bounces tapping to Judd to Murphy to Fevola: GOAL?

Reckon that film won't be released till around March 2010. According to industry reports and from the reaction in my trousers to the above post, should be well worth the wait. My long-range forecast:

 

[Blues_Man]

Awesome news ...actually made my day

 

[JuddyBuddy]

Finally some good news for the boy! Cant wait to see him back out there!

 

[blues4flag]

Way to put a smile on my face.

Would love to see him playing again by season's end. Would be fairly handy come round 16 and have both the Double Double Us o) knocking down the door as we make our play for the finals.

 

[reddevils88]

That is really good news regarding walker. Hope he gets back soon. I did hear some bad news on another of our players though.

Not sure if it has been mentioned but Andrew Carrazzo had surgery today on a Broken finger/thumb and will likely miss a month. It had nothing to do with his hamstring.