injuryupdate
19-04-2004, 08:49 PM
The hamstring strain and big names in the AFL unfortunately go together like honey and the bees. Matthew Richardson of the Tigers has been struck down for the umpteenth time, but the Bombers have even more strife. Although Kevin Sheedy has been in the coaching game for more than 20 years, and has a medical and fitness back-up team that has hardly changed over his entire tenure, they still haven't been able to find answers to hamstring strains. Essendon lost Jason Johnson with another hamstring strain at training last week and the had Mark Johnson and Mark McVeigh suffer recurrent strains in their comeback games. Essendon has now had almost as many hamstring strains in 2004 as the average AFL team would expect in a season. However, perhaps Sheedy has been cunning and has been giving the players heavy aerobic training in the pre-season, which is hypothesised to increase the risk of hamstring strain but increase player fitness for the finals, if Essendon can make them. Sydney have problems with Michael O'Loughlin straining his right hamstring in the match against Fremantle, although an MRI scan suggests the problem is not serious so he should return next week. A more severe injury to O'Loughlin may have cost them a Grand Final berth last year, and they have a challenge to get him back as quickly as possible without risking a recurrence. Read more about this dilemma. Hawthorn's Jonathan Hay has suffered the worst hamstring injury of the season to date, requiring surgery for tearing the tendon off the bone in the pre-season. The suggested recovery time by the club is six weeks, but tendon repair surgery usually means 8-12, with the attitude this time being not to rush the recovery.