Anybody else worried about Nick Riewoldt

skeptic · Post: # 1162584Post **skeptic** » Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:28pm

If it's one thing that history has taught me repeatedly (by watching this club) it's that you don't push players that are injured past a point.

Especially older and younger players

GT did this to Kosi when he played him when he had a back injury (with pain killing injections) and arguably this fantastic looking kid lost a fair bit of agility.

We did it to Luke Ball when he first showed signs of OP and it was clear that his performance was impacted. As a result, he lost speed and power.

We did it to Raph Clarke in another way. The guy was extremely injury prone nad struggled to handle the rigours of AFL football. After the first few break downs, we should have taken him off the park for a year and really worked at getting his body right - instead we waited til the immediate injury healed and put him on the park and watched him break down...
the result 6 lost years of development and that extra bit of zip was missing. If this was what he played like after 2 years... we'd be thinking what a good prospect.

This season we did it to Nick Riewoldt.
Reported to be having his knee drained of fluid every week and even if that's not true, the guy really looked impacted and limited this season.
The most important aspect of his game is to be able to outlast his opponentafter several powerful runs and kick goals.
His agility and ability to run long distances and high speeds (for KPP) is a really important aspect of his game. It's what makes him look like a better mark than he is.

This year IMO we really let him down. In a team that never looked good enough to be amongst the very best, I don't understand why they didn't get him a period or periods of extended rest.
Especially considering we had Walsh, Johnson and Cahill all at times producing decent football at Sandy.

I really hope we haven't $%^*ed his body up... he is such an important player to us

BelfastSaint · Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:29pm

WORRY WORT

stinger · Post: # 1162587Post **stinger** » Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:30pm

i also believe that judas did something similar to bj....i have posted the same fears in the past....

thejiggingsaint · Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:30pm

I'm prepared to let the new coaching panel deal with this. Pointless in stressing about it at this stage.

SainterK · Post: # 1162595Post **SainterK** » Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:48pm

Simply no need this year, rotate, rotate, rotate.

If he feels a little sore one match day, hello Stanley. If BJ's hip starts to ache a little, hello Crippsy.

Good for them, good for the kids.

bigcarl · Post: # 1162600Post **bigcarl** » Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:51pm

It was blindingly obvious to everyone except Lyin' (and probably Riewoldt himself) that we were asking too much of him last season.

He needed a chop out from another genuine key forward, not a second ruckman like Kosi.

It's not only the stress on his body that is the problem ... it's the immense pressure of being expected to repeatedly win games off his own boot.

If the new bloke doesn't recognise this problem and act on it we will have a physical and mental basket case on our hands.

I'm angry at Lyin' for running this champion into the ground, but Roo might be equally culpable for thinking he can do more than he can.

Teflon · Post: # 1162607Post **Teflon** » Fri 14 Oct 2011 10:55pm

The bigger woory for mine is that we've simply seen his best......reality is CHF's aint superstars much past 28....

Im praying he's got "elitism" stillin him cause if he dont we dont have one last hurrah for a flag IMO hes that important.

thejiggingsaint · Fri 14 Oct 2011 11:01pm

The gameplan itself contributed to Roo's woes in 2011. A new coach. different set up and who knows? I'm really excited about the coming season, particularly with the recruitment of these two small forwards!

8856brother · Fri 14 Oct 2011 11:11pm

As much as I dislike Geelong, Chris Scott did a great job managing his players this year. If they weren't fit they didn't play, and even if they were he gave them rests during the season.
Whoever gets the nod for us could do alot worse than following Scott's lead.

I think we were playing some of our guns injured for large portions of the season.

savatage · Post: # 1162617Post **savatage** » Fri 14 Oct 2011 11:14pm

I back him in to have a good year.

He's too proud to not bounce back & hopefully he'll have a lot less burdens to worry him mentally...

If his knee cartilage is re-generating as recently mentioned (providing this has been successful) then hopefully his knees won't trouble him this coming season.

PJ · Post: # 1162630Post PJ » Sat 15 Oct 2011 12:00am

savatage wrote:I back him in to have a good year.

He's too proud to not bounce back & hopefully he'll have a lot less burdens to worry him mentally...

If his knee cartilage is re-generating as recently mentioned (providing this has been successful) then hopefully his knees won't trouble him this coming season.

I think the science on joint damage regeneration is still fairly jeuvenile. Nick's knee has been on the downward slope for 2 years now which doesn't look positive. I'd be happy to see him radically reduced in game time and given a few games off if it means he can recuperate properly.

StevieSaint · Sat 15 Oct 2011 12:04am

I personally think he is gonna dominate in 2012!!!!!!!!!!!! He'll be back, don't worry 2011 is a year to forget...

RW&B · Post: # 1162668Post **RW&B** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 3:50am

PJ wrote:
savatage wrote:I back him in to have a good year.

He's too proud to not bounce back & hopefully he'll have a lot less burdens to worry him mentally...

If his knee cartilage is re-generating as recently mentioned (providing this has been successful) then hopefully his knees won't trouble him this coming season.
I think the science on joint damage regeneration is still fairly jeuvenile. Nick's knee has been on the downward slope for 2 years now which doesn't look positive. I'd be happy to see him radically reduced in game time and given a few games off if it means he can recuperate properly.

Nick's knees have been troublesome for longer than that. You are right, cartilage regen is still in its infancy.The North doctor is one of the leading men in hyaline cartilage regrowth around and has recieved positive results but in small amount. He along with many other experts require increased funding to prove and make cartilage regen more accessible and reliable (I among others believe current techniques to be extremely promising yet data set is not large enough (yet) to provide sufficient evidence for its success rates/use). I'm drunk. Can clarify any points in the moring.

hungry for a premiership · Sat 15 Oct 2011 6:11am

It seemed obvious that Riewoldt was well below 100% all year, and I agree that he should have had an extended rest, but the problem is, you try getting Nick Riewoldt, proud captain of the St.Kilda football club, to "take a rest" and not go to war with the boys.

He's a fiercely competitive bloke and I wouldn't be surprised if the medicos suggested to him that he take a break and he just refused, choosing to go through the procedures that would enable him to play.

bobmurray · Post: # 1162674Post **bobmurray** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 6:18am

savatage wrote:I back him in to have a good year.

He's too proud to not bounce back & hopefully he'll have a lot less burdens to worry him mentally...

If his knee cartilage is re-generating as recently mentioned (providing this has been successful) then hopefully his knees won't trouble him this coming season.

Has cartilage regeneration ever worked before....

Joffa 5 · Post: # 1162685Post **Joffa 5** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 7:14am

RW&B wrote: Nick's knees have been troublesome for longer than that.

Yes, as far back as his Southport days actually

mullet · Post: # 1162695Post **mullet** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 8:01am

I think Nick exorcised some demons in doing that interview with Robbo. He has dicky knees but so does 75 % of afl players. the other 25% have dicky shoulders. I know everyone thinks Misson was the messiah of fitness gurus but having just finished reading the bubble I am not quite sure about that.

I think Nick will have a wonderful 2012, with a new coach and new fitness coach.

HitTheBoundary · Sat 15 Oct 2011 8:06am

After reading the Robbo interview it seems that at least his head is back on straight. That's just as important as his knees.

PJ · Post: # 1162733Post PJ » Sat 15 Oct 2011 10:04am

RW&B wrote:
PJ wrote:
savatage wrote:I back him in to have a good year.

He's too proud to not bounce back & hopefully he'll have a lot less burdens to worry him mentally...

If his knee cartilage is re-generating as recently mentioned (providing this has been successful) then hopefully his knees won't trouble him this coming season.
I think the science on joint damage regeneration is still fairly jeuvenile. Nick's knee has been on the downward slope for 2 years now which doesn't look positive. I'd be happy to see him radically reduced in game time and given a few games off if it means he can recuperate properly.
Nick's knees have been troublesome for longer than that. You are right, cartilage regen is still in its infancy.The North doctor is one of the leading men in hyaline cartilage regrowth around and has recieved positive results but in small amount. He along with many other experts require increased funding to prove and make cartilage regen more accessible and reliable (I among others believe current techniques to be extremely promising yet data set is not large enough (yet) to provide sufficient evidence for its success rates/use). I'm drunk. Can clarify any points in the moring.

Thanks RW&B do you have any info on what they are currently doing with Nick?

Junction Oval · Sat 15 Oct 2011 10:24am

On reading the Robo article, I get the feeling that Nick has put 2011 behind him and with some regen on his knee, a solid injury free pre-season, a new coach/game plan, things are looking very positive for 2012.

BigMart · Post: # 1162745Post **BigMart** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 10:25am

Not worried at all...

his record speaks for itself....

RW&B · Post: # 1162837Post **RW&B** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 12:34pm

PJ wrote: Thanks RW&B do you have any info on what they are currently doing with Nick?

Nah no idea, I've been overseas.

bobmurray wrote:
savatage wrote:I back him in to have a good year.

He's too proud to not bounce back & hopefully he'll have a lot less burdens to worry him mentally...

If his knee cartilage is re-generating as recently mentioned (providing this has been successful) then hopefully his knees won't trouble him this coming season.
Has cartilage regeneration ever worked before....

Certainly has. The Roos doctor had only 1 participant in his initial trial but it worked so 100% strikerate there but as I said lack of funding has meant numerous and extensive trials have't been done here.

Moccha · Post: # 1162853Post **Moccha** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 1:16pm

Con Gorozidis · Sat 15 Oct 2011 2:17pm

This is one of the major reasons I called for us to go the tank after round 11.
Riewoldt was clearly lame and we sent him out week in week out on one leg. Not only did it cause him to further damage his knee it also humilated him.

Of course I was howled down by the "we can still win the flag brigdae". But it showed lyon was a selfish asshole who was hell bent on leaving the club at end of the year and gave no care for the future or longevity of riewoldts career. True sainters should have been worried about nick months ago.

I hate lyons guts.

Moccha · Post: # 1162895Post **Moccha** » Sat 15 Oct 2011 2:37pm

Con Gorozidis wrote:This is one of the major reasons I called for us to go the tank after round 11.
Riewoldt was clearly lame and we sent him out week in week out on one leg. Not only did it cause him to further damage his knee it also humilated him.

Of course I was howled down by the "we can still win the flag brigdae". But it showed lyon was a selfish asshole who was hell bent on leaving the club at end of the year and gave no care for the future or longevity of riewoldts career. True sainters should have been worried about nick months ago.

I hate lyons guts.

Geez that's an incredibly stupid post