Danny
27-02-2005, 10:00 PM
Tiger Rodan to miss entire AFL season
February 27, 2005 - 8:14PM
SMH
Richmond rover David Rodan will miss the entire 2005 AFL season after rupturing an anterior cruciate knee ligament in a weekend practice match.
Rodan will have surgery to reconstruct his right knee this week, prematurely ending what was shaping as a good year for the native Fijian.
"He's really shocked and disappointed," Tigers football manager Paul Armstrong said.
"He has had a really good pre-season and done everything right, and then to be laid up a month out from the season is very frustrating.
"He's down in the dumps, and that's something we'll have to work through in the next couple of weeks."
Rodan's hard training in pre-season had drawn praise from coach Terry Wallace, holding up the nuggety rover as an example to his teammates in a tough pre-season at Punt Road.
Armstrong said the club planned to have Rodan involved in community work this season and keep him around the club as he was a popular figure with teammates.
The 21-year-old has played 60 games for Richmond since making his debut in 2003.
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Rodan injured the knee in the final quarter of the Tigers' 72-point win over a below-strength Essendon at Morwell on Saturday.
It was the second straight year that the Morwell ground had claimed knee victims, with Hawthorn pair Steven Greene and Kris Barlow both missing the opening three games of 2004 after being injured in the Gippsland town.
Hawthorn fumed about last year's setbacks, claiming the Morwell surface was too firm and contributed to the knee injuries, but Wallace said he had no problem with the ground.
Young Richmond defender Daniel Jackson was hurt by a knee in the back but should be fit for next weekend's match against Fremantle in Alice Springs.
Joel Bowden, who missed the Essendon game with a rib injury, should also return to play in his old hometown.
February 27, 2005 - 8:14PM
SMH
Richmond rover David Rodan will miss the entire 2005 AFL season after rupturing an anterior cruciate knee ligament in a weekend practice match.
Rodan will have surgery to reconstruct his right knee this week, prematurely ending what was shaping as a good year for the native Fijian.
"He's really shocked and disappointed," Tigers football manager Paul Armstrong said.
"He has had a really good pre-season and done everything right, and then to be laid up a month out from the season is very frustrating.
"He's down in the dumps, and that's something we'll have to work through in the next couple of weeks."
Rodan's hard training in pre-season had drawn praise from coach Terry Wallace, holding up the nuggety rover as an example to his teammates in a tough pre-season at Punt Road.
Armstrong said the club planned to have Rodan involved in community work this season and keep him around the club as he was a popular figure with teammates.
The 21-year-old has played 60 games for Richmond since making his debut in 2003.
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Rodan injured the knee in the final quarter of the Tigers' 72-point win over a below-strength Essendon at Morwell on Saturday.
It was the second straight year that the Morwell ground had claimed knee victims, with Hawthorn pair Steven Greene and Kris Barlow both missing the opening three games of 2004 after being injured in the Gippsland town.
Hawthorn fumed about last year's setbacks, claiming the Morwell surface was too firm and contributed to the knee injuries, but Wallace said he had no problem with the ground.
Young Richmond defender Daniel Jackson was hurt by a knee in the back but should be fit for next weekend's match against Fremantle in Alice Springs.
Joel Bowden, who missed the Essendon game with a rib injury, should also return to play in his old hometown.