The Cranium
BigFootyDesert Dweller
FOR the second time in months, Andrew Walker is likely to have shoulder surgery this week, sidelining him for up to 10 weeks.
In the first quarter of his first practice match of a disrupted summer, the Carlton utility re-injured his shoulder in a tackle on Friday afternoon.
Yesterday, scans confirmed he had damaged the same shoulder and he is likely to need further surgery. A final decision on that will not be made until today after further consultation with specialists.
There is still a chance he will require a reconstruction, but at this stage, that seems unlikely.
Walker could have surgery to tighten the shoulder as soon as tomorrow, a process that would leave him out for between eight and 10 weeks and that, in a best-case scenario, would have him back in the side by about round seven. Equally, it could cost him virtually half a season should the recovery labour.
The Blues also today are awaiting the match review panel's assessment of the match-day report of onballer Marc Murphy for front-on contact with Bulldog Mitch Hahn in Friday afternoon's practice match.
Murphy clearly collided with Hahn, who had his head over the ball, but it could be argued Hahn ran into Murphy as much as Murphy into Hahn.
With no games this weekend, there was no urgency to have the panel sit on a public holiday and the tribunal will sit tomorrow if required.
Having had a pre-season interrupted by surgery on his shoulder in December, Walker was only just catching up ground on his teammates and was back on track to play in round one.
Walker initially injured the shoulder in round 12 last year and missed the following game, but came back in for three games before missing another fortnight. He carried the injury through the final four games before having surgery in December.
His manager, Tom Petroro of Stride, said the young utility was disappointed that having had surgery before Christmas, he was hopeful his shoulder troubles were behind him.
"He said it is a bit odd because he feels like he could go out and play golf, it does not feel painful but he is going to need the surgery," Petroro said.
"He is happy, though, that he can still pick up the baby. He had a baby boy Cody on Australia Day January 26 and he was worried when he did the injury he mightn't be able to pick him up for a while, but he can do that, so he has a smile on his face."
The Blues are confident promising ruckman Shaun Hampson will be fit for round one despite having minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee on Saturday. Hampson pulled up sore from Friday's practice game and the decision was made to immediately clean up the knee.
A piece of floating bone had been catching in the knee when the ruckman jumped and, with a week off before the first game, it was decided he could have the procedure now and still potentially be fit by round one. He is expected to be back training next week.
Midfielder Adam Bentick, who has been hampered by an adductor strain, is expected to play his first practice game of the pre-season this weekend for the Bullants.
He may yet be joined by vice-captain Nick Stevens, with the club likely to apply to the AFL for permission for Stevens to play in the VFL practice games this weekend.
In the first quarter of his first practice match of a disrupted summer, the Carlton utility re-injured his shoulder in a tackle on Friday afternoon.
Yesterday, scans confirmed he had damaged the same shoulder and he is likely to need further surgery. A final decision on that will not be made until today after further consultation with specialists.
There is still a chance he will require a reconstruction, but at this stage, that seems unlikely.
Walker could have surgery to tighten the shoulder as soon as tomorrow, a process that would leave him out for between eight and 10 weeks and that, in a best-case scenario, would have him back in the side by about round seven. Equally, it could cost him virtually half a season should the recovery labour.
The Blues also today are awaiting the match review panel's assessment of the match-day report of onballer Marc Murphy for front-on contact with Bulldog Mitch Hahn in Friday afternoon's practice match.
Murphy clearly collided with Hahn, who had his head over the ball, but it could be argued Hahn ran into Murphy as much as Murphy into Hahn.
With no games this weekend, there was no urgency to have the panel sit on a public holiday and the tribunal will sit tomorrow if required.
Having had a pre-season interrupted by surgery on his shoulder in December, Walker was only just catching up ground on his teammates and was back on track to play in round one.
Walker initially injured the shoulder in round 12 last year and missed the following game, but came back in for three games before missing another fortnight. He carried the injury through the final four games before having surgery in December.
His manager, Tom Petroro of Stride, said the young utility was disappointed that having had surgery before Christmas, he was hopeful his shoulder troubles were behind him.
"He said it is a bit odd because he feels like he could go out and play golf, it does not feel painful but he is going to need the surgery," Petroro said.
"He is happy, though, that he can still pick up the baby. He had a baby boy Cody on Australia Day January 26 and he was worried when he did the injury he mightn't be able to pick him up for a while, but he can do that, so he has a smile on his face."
The Blues are confident promising ruckman Shaun Hampson will be fit for round one despite having minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee on Saturday. Hampson pulled up sore from Friday's practice game and the decision was made to immediately clean up the knee.
A piece of floating bone had been catching in the knee when the ruckman jumped and, with a week off before the first game, it was decided he could have the procedure now and still potentially be fit by round one. He is expected to be back training next week.
Midfielder Adam Bentick, who has been hampered by an adductor strain, is expected to play his first practice game of the pre-season this weekend for the Bullants.
He may yet be joined by vice-captain Nick Stevens, with the club likely to apply to the AFL for permission for Stevens to play in the VFL practice games this weekend.
