Brownlow Medallist Simon Black underwent a shoulder reconstruction yesterday (Tuesday) and faces a rigid six-month rehabilitation to be ready to play in mid-April of 2005.
Black received a three-week suspension after being reported twice in the grand final – the first time he has been reported in his seven-year and 151game career – and is not available to play until the Round 4 match against Hawthorn on April 16 anyway.
The 25-year-old finished sixth in this year’s Brownlow Medal and third in the Lions club champion count, and played all 25 games, despite being hampered by a nagging ankle problem.
Black initially booked the surgery to have floating bone removed from the ankle, with some exploratory in a shoulder than had proved nuisance value rather than anything else for nearly 12 months. Surgeons then recommended a reconstruction.
Premiership teammate Blake Caracella required similar ankle and shoulder surgery a fortnight ago after Lions ruckman cannoned into Caracella in the Round 4 match in Perth this year, dislocating his shoulder. Caracella will be hoping to be ready for the season opener against St Kilda on March 24.
Power forward Jonathan Brown also found himself on the surgeon’s table earlier this month to repair some cartilage in his right knee. He will not resume running for 12 weeks.
Brown too has a late start to the season after being hit with a five-week penalty arising from a striking charge from the grand final.
Skipper Michael Voss was the other Lions to undergo post season surgery, having a clean-up done on his right knee. He faces four weeks’ rest after the surgery, but will be ready for the official start of pre-season training on November 17, where he will again have a carefully managed build-up to 2005.
Club medical staff are happy with ruckmen Beau McDonald and Jamie Charman, saying they are both progressing well from season-ending knee injuries.
McDonald, 25, has not played since Round 14 of 2003 and is focusing on strengthening his knee for a post-Christmas return to the track. Charman, 22, is expected to do some training pre-Christmas work.
Black received a three-week suspension after being reported twice in the grand final – the first time he has been reported in his seven-year and 151game career – and is not available to play until the Round 4 match against Hawthorn on April 16 anyway.
The 25-year-old finished sixth in this year’s Brownlow Medal and third in the Lions club champion count, and played all 25 games, despite being hampered by a nagging ankle problem.
Black initially booked the surgery to have floating bone removed from the ankle, with some exploratory in a shoulder than had proved nuisance value rather than anything else for nearly 12 months. Surgeons then recommended a reconstruction.
Premiership teammate Blake Caracella required similar ankle and shoulder surgery a fortnight ago after Lions ruckman cannoned into Caracella in the Round 4 match in Perth this year, dislocating his shoulder. Caracella will be hoping to be ready for the season opener against St Kilda on March 24.
Power forward Jonathan Brown also found himself on the surgeon’s table earlier this month to repair some cartilage in his right knee. He will not resume running for 12 weeks.
Brown too has a late start to the season after being hit with a five-week penalty arising from a striking charge from the grand final.
Skipper Michael Voss was the other Lions to undergo post season surgery, having a clean-up done on his right knee. He faces four weeks’ rest after the surgery, but will be ready for the official start of pre-season training on November 17, where he will again have a carefully managed build-up to 2005.
Club medical staff are happy with ruckmen Beau McDonald and Jamie Charman, saying they are both progressing well from season-ending knee injuries.
McDonald, 25, has not played since Round 14 of 2003 and is focusing on strengthening his knee for a post-Christmas return to the track. Charman, 22, is expected to do some training pre-Christmas work.
