Rocca- what to do?

[FuManchu]

Ankle/foot injuries not soft tissue fu

rest will clear them up it seems it has

Unless they are skeletal, then they will be soft tissue. I am of the assumption he has soft tissue injuries from the achilles down into the foot.

Even accepting what you are saying, how is a footballer expected to rest during a season? A rest to me means 3 months off his feet. It doesnt mean doing the miles day in day out trying to get back to playing fitness.

 

[well left]

It's tough having options isn't it!

Any bulldogs supporters that wander into this thread would be shaking their heads!

 

[Optimax]

Unless they are skeletal, then they will be soft tissue. I am of the assumption he has soft tissue injuries from the achilles down into the foot.

Even accepting what you are saying, how is a footballer expected to rest during a season? A rest to me means 3 months off his feet. It doesnt mean doing the miles day in day out trying to get back to playing fitness.

Its was three broken bones and then the screw moved of something similar.

he is fit and ready mate

 

[FuManchu]

Its was three broken bones and then the screw moved of something similar.

he is fit and ready mate

I have to admit, when I see the name Rocca now, I dont even bother looking. I go into some mental state of indifference. He is not in my grand plans for the future so I just choose to ignore.

3 bones and all that weight on his feet! mmmmm yeah, good luck with that one. So officially are we nursing him or are we allowing him to get match fit?

 

[Optimax]

He is playing in the seconds this week, so match fitness.

if we are to be a full force this year Fu, we'll need rocca.

 

[rotten pie]

Unless they are skeletal, then they will be soft tissue. I am of the assumption he has soft tissue injuries from the achilles down into the foot.

Even accepting what you are saying, how is a footballer expected to rest during a season? A rest to me means 3 months off his feet. It doesnt mean doing the miles day in day out trying to get back to playing fitness.

My understanding of Rocca's injury was that the tendon had been torn from the bone, requiring surgery to knit the tendon and bone back together, so i don't see how it's a soft tissue injury.

My point about rest was, as you said, the bloke is a 100+kg and towards the end of his career, thus putting alot of strain on the old joints and tendons (of which one has just been repaired) when he takes of on a lead. Having periodic rest may help with any inflamation of the tendon and may help curtail any other injuries (tissue or otherwise), keeping the big bloke fresh throughout the season and primed for what may be his last crack at the finals.

 

[Trojan82]

The OP who suggested we leave Rocca until late in the season to get fit can't be serious.

If he isn't worth 'risking' early in the season do we really want to risk him later?

Get him out there. Let him play VFL this week. Then next week he should be straight in. If his body can't hold up playing for the season then he isn't worth having on our list....You wouldn't pick a guy over 30 to play for us if you knew he was only going to play 8 games....surely.

Get him out there. He'll be fine. If he crumbles then get him onto the Long Term Injury List and elevate a rookie. I can think of 1 or 2 that deserve a spot.

 

[FuManchu]

My understanding of Rocca's injury was that the tendon had been torn from the bone, requiring surgery to knit the tendon and bone back together, so i don't see how it's a soft tissue injury.

My point about rest was, as you said, the bloke is a 100+kg and towards the end of his career, thus putting alot of strain on the old joints and tendons (of which one has just been repaired) when he takes of on a lead. Having periodic rest may help with any inflamation of the tendon and may help curtail any other injuries (tissue or otherwise), keeping the big bloke fresh throughout the season and primed for what may be his last crack at the finals.

If you are waiting for a tendon to heal, then it is soft tissue, be it a tear or waiting to reattach. If he has broken bones it is skeletal. Skeletal is much easier to heal, soft tissue injuries the older you get take more time and are prone to the tissue thinning and becoming structurally weaker. So full recovery is less likely as you get older, especially if you are going to be pushing off on the tendon everytime you take a step, let alone sprint.

I'd prefer it was skeletal, especially given his propensity of late to have a multitude of problems in that achilles.

 

[Rohan Coventry]

Rocca had a metal plate fused to a bone to hold his ankle together. If you're Damian Oliver, weigh 55 KG ringing wet & don't use your feet, this isn't an issue.

If you're 100 plus KG & rely on pack busting marking, there is a slight difference..

 

[King Woodie]

I'd be guessing they would be looking to get 2-5 games into him at VFL level to get him match fit so bringing him back into the team around Round 4 or 5. You would then look to rest him a couple of times throughout the year to keep him fresh which brings you to the 15 games MM has suggested.

My problem with this is similar to Fu's. If Rocca is not to go on next year, we need to start developing someone to play deep forward. As shawthing09 stated in another thread (think it was the Hudson assessment one) that player is/should be Trav Cloke with JA as leading forward and Reid or Dawes at CHF. If that is the case then we need to get Trav playing as much deep forward as possible which is not going to happen if Rocca is playing.

The only possibility in my mind is to have Rocca, JA, Reid and Cloke all in the one team with one forward on the bench or JA/Reid down back with Rocca alternating from FF to bench and Cloke from CHF to FF. Not sure how effective that will be though.

I don't agree with this. Should we drop Presti as well because he may not go on next year?

Our focus in on the flag this year, and for the first time in years we are a realistic chance. We need Rocca to play in the games where there are strong backlines, so JA / Rus can get the thrid tall instead of the best.

 

[well left]

I don't agree with this. Should we drop Presti as well because he may not go on next year?

Our focus in on the flag this year, and for the first time in years we are a realistic chance. We need Rocca to play in the games where there are strong backlines, so JA / Rus can get the thrid tall instead of the best.

I may not have been all that clear there King Woodie. In no means do I mean we should not play Rocca but we need to also develop someone to play the deep forward role that he has played. In my mind this needs to be Cloke so he needs to be given the opportunity to play deep which means we need to juggle the time spent their between Rocca and Cloke.

With regards to Presti, we do need to start thinking about life after him. Nathan Brown is the logical successor although that relies on a Reid or Goldsack holding down CHB. I still think JA may end up in defence at some stage. I know he kicked 7 in a NAB Cup match and is a great kick for goal but Jimmy Clement kicked 6 for the Dockers at Waverley one day and he still played back.

I guess the difference between Presti and Rocca IMO is that Presti does have the ability to come out to CHB for periods of time if match-ups dictate and N Brown goes to FB. I don't think we have the option of moving Rocca out to CHF.

 

[BenjiXXX]

If he was a horse they would have put him down by now... Even if he wasn't injured.

 

[Pie eyed]

If he was a horse they would have put him down by now... Even if he wasn't injured.

Very true but if he was a horse Steve Johnson would have killed a jockey and been put out to pasture as un-ridable.
As such I am glad they are both not horses.
Rus deserves one more chance too

 

[Snag Breac]

If he was a horse they would have put him down by now... Even if he wasn't injured.

Not before he'd stomped on your fat head, fathead.