Saints Play Down Injury Hype: Herald-Sun Article

[TimeToShineFellas]

Source: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 72,00.html

Saints play down injury list
Jon Ralph | February 26, 2008 12:00am

ST KILDA yesterday hosed down talk of an injury crisis before naming six of its stars to return against Essendon in Friday night's NAB Cup semi-final. Despite speculation that Max Hudghton had reinjured his troublesome hamstring and Justin Koschitzke's soft-tissue issues had returned, the club was yesterday adamant Fraser Gehrig (calf) was the only weekend casualty.

As if to counter speculation the playing list had an injury bogy, Luke Ball, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Robert Harvey, Steven King and Michael Gardiner were named to play against the Bombers.

It means St Kilda will be as close to full strength as it has been in several years, with only Gehrig and Sean Dempster (knee) missing from the club's starting 22.

Brendon Goddard is likely to return next week after making strong progress in his return from a knee reconstruction.

Despite vision of injury-prone ruckman Koschitzke clutching his hamstring during Saturday's match against Geelong before leaving the ground, the Saints said yesterday he had only cramped, not torn the muscle.

"Justin Koschitzke is fine. Max Hudghton is fine. We basically managed those players' game time. Both were a bit tight. They are fine," football manager Matthew Drain said.

"There is no issue there. He played his allotted game time. (His hamstring) got a bit tight, but as Max said on Saturday night, he knows his body and hamstrings better than anyone so he wasn't fazed at all.

"He was fatigued and he cramped after four efforts in a row, but he was coming off anyway."

Saints fans will be hoping Hudghton is fit to play Round 1, with the 31-year-old yet to prove he can overcome repeated muscle tears.

Last year, he suffered five soft-tissue strains and played just 10 games for the season after tearing his groin (Round 1), thigh (Rounds 3-7), quad (Round 9), hamstring (Rounds 14-15) and thigh again (Rounds 21-22).

Sports medical expert Peter Larkins said yesterday it would be a big challenge for Hudghton to turn around his soft-tissue dramas.

"I think we are learning over time with the senior players, and you look at Nathan Buckley, and guys that have had long careers, it is very difficult. We know the greatest risk factor for a hamstring tear is a previous history of a hamstring problems," he said.

"Once your hamstring becomes vulnerable, even if it is not the same spot every time, it is very hard to turn it around the older you get."

Riewoldt is back from knee soreness, Ball returns from adductor surgery and Harvey was rested last week.

Raphael Clarke (sore ribs) and older brother Xavier (corked leg) also return

[riccardo]

Typical media beat up BS. Why do they not believe what we say.

It seems bringing back to stars means we are going to try to win the comp again.

More comfortable than I was this morning with Friday now. Bring em on!

[CURLY]

Typical media beat up BS. Why do they not believe what we say.

It seems bringing back to stars means we are going to try to win the comp again.

More comfortable than I was this morning with Friday now. Bring em on!

Probably the fact that we lead them on a merry dance last year regarding injuries. I know the club dont have to tell the media anything but we cant cry foul when they dont beleive what our staff say.

[Ralphy]

so does this mean we get these stars back!

schneider will be most likely named this week as well!

[saint66au]

It means St Kilda will be as close to full strength as it has been in several years, with only Gehrig and Sean Dempster (knee) missing from the club's starting 22.

Dempster must be feeling pretty good about himself..he'll be keeping that clipping in his pocket to wave around on selection night lol

Kosi, Goddard, Maguire, Schneider...chopped liver are they??

Unresearched nonsense

[bigcarl]

so does this mean we get these stars back!

schneider will be most likely named this week as well!

kosi won't play

not because he is injured but because he was due to be rested anyway under our NAB cup policy

[Ralphy]

schneids,rooey,Hayes,Ball, King,Gardy,Xclarke


that will proberlly play

[Oh When the Saints]

It means St Kilda will be as close to full strength as it has been in several years, with only Gehrig and Sean Dempster (knee) missing from the club's starting 22.

Schneider? Maguire? Goddard?


Fair dinkum .... bulls*** journalism. Lazy hack wonders why his profession has a bad name.

Easiest bloody job in the world and they can still stuff it up.

Trying to create news out of nothing and failing to even do that properly.

[Ralphy]

schneider is he still injured i thought he WAS slated for his debut for saints this weekend?

[chook23]

I must admit I am very wary re Kossie and Max

When players were taken off the ground it was unusual for them to go in the rooms.

Max and Kossie did. And of course Gehrig.

Re Max..........yes did have 3-4 hard spoils in sucession...........did stretch hard (typical max)..................must admit when watching thought it may go if similar to last year........

grabbed his hamstring/grimaced .........was it tightness/cramp............limped off.

Kossie walked of but gate was less obvious but pointed to groin area and strechted leg sideways a couple of times......went inside before reappearing......

If both were cramp/tightness only...........and are being rested under the NAB policy.................

THEY SHOULD BOTH TRAIN FULLY AND STRONGLY(within medical staff requirements) knowing they will be rested this week.
Will try and get to training...........if I can not I would like to read any reports.....

I should just take drain's word..............

[bigred]

I'm not overly concerned about the injuries...

Unless we get word from a deep throat insider, we wont know the truth 100% anyway. And the media will write what they want...

AS far as the NAB cup goes....It is a practice comp. Still, our intention must be win every game we play. If it turns out we win the comp, the that's a bonus.

I dont think the club would adjust the rotation of players just because we make the final....I dont think that is Lyon's way..

[saint66au]

I'm not overly concerned about the injuries...

Unless we get word from a deep throat insider, we wont know the truth 100% anyway. And the media will write what they want...

AS far as the NAB cup goes....It is a practice comp. Still, our intention must be win every game we play. If it turns out we win the comp, the that's a bonus.

I dont think the club would adjust the rotation of players just because we make the final....I dont think that is Lyon's way..

Well said that man

As for "going straight to the rooms" maybe they'd like a little bit of privacy to examine for any injury? away from 15 TV cameras and Captain Doofus the boundary reporter?? Thats not conspiracy, just plain freaking common sense. Last time I went to the Dr's he had the decency not to use the waiting room to examine me

Or...maybe they realllly needed a wee

[evertonfc]

Typical media beat up BS. Why do they not believe what we say.

Probably because Saintsational beats thing up twice as much as any media outlet

It means St Kilda will be as close to full strength as it has been in several years, with only Gehrig and Sean Dempster (knee) missing from the club's starting 22.

Schneider? Maguire? Goddard?

Fair dinkum .... bulls*** journalism. Lazy hack wonders why his profession has a bad name.

Easiest bloody job in the world and they can still stuff it up.

Trying to create news out of nothing and failing to even do that properly.

That our injuries aren't as bad as first feared isn't a story? Get real, OWTS. That is a story. I for one didn't know Maxy was in the clear, likewise, I was worried about Kosi. To hear they're both ok is something I want to know about.

Fair dinkum, we're a precious lot around here, aren't we?

Remember, the paper isn't written for St Kilda fans. It's not written by St Kilda fans. If you want St Kilda content written by people who exclusively know St Kilda, I suggest you wait until Saintscentral begins.

Sure, all journos could improve, but to be fair to Jon Ralph, I reckon he's flashed that article out in about two minutes, under pressure from subs, with his mind already on a more important story.

It's a sad fact, but the public has such a hunger for news that journalists are forced into spewing out more and more copy. Personally, I believe that leaves the copy compromised and underdone. But the market is insatiable, they want new stories every hour...

If the public paid an access fee to the Herald Sun website, then they could hire more journos to spend more time chasing up stories....just a thought.

Edit: Or News Limited shareholders could stop saying 'downsize for profit!' at every given opportunity...and people wonder why journalism has gone downhill. Reduce staff for profit - yet your product is enjoying unprecedented, round-the-clock demand...end result: final product compromised. Moral of the story: The public SHOULD STOP buying the paper and send a message they want journos who are well-paid and well-informed, not sausage factory workers.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

I like what I read re: Max and Kosi being fine.

I will believe it when they line up for round 1.

[chook23]

I like what I read re: Max and Kosi being fine.

I will believe it when they line up for round 1.

but if they are fine and not injured

should be playing either NAB GF or NAB regional if not injured (under roation policy)

Should well and truly be ready round 1.........

Of course being right for round 1 is the priority..........

[bigcarl]

but to be fair to Jon Ralph, I reckon he's flashed that article out in about two minutes, under pressure from subs, with his mind already on a more important story.

he's one of the better ones. seems to write a lot of their articles

[hAyES]

I don't like that we're going in with a close to full strength side. After a week where 3 of our key players suffer injuries, I'd rather we be cautious with our blokes.

[Ralphy]

but they also have to have match prectise

[evertonfc]

but to be fair to Jon Ralph, I reckon he's flashed that article out in about two minutes, under pressure from subs, with his mind already on a more important story.

he's one of the better ones. seems to write a lot of their articles

He is. He works really hard, too. He spews out probably 100 articles a month, makes an error here or there, and gets called lazy...

Even though internet forums are a hot-bed of media-hatred, sometimes you've gotta laugh...

[Eastern]

I would suggest that much of Jon Raph's "RESEARCH" for his article would have been on THIS FORUM. Max's hamstring, Fraser's calf & Kosi's groin have been very popular talking points on here since Saturday !!

[plugger66]

AS far as I am concerned Max did his hamstring and Kosi had a groin niggle. They may well have been due to be rested this week but I am pretty sure Max will not play the week after win or lose and Kosi would doubtful. I know we can all say Drain hasnt lied but RL or someone told by RL did last year when X was injured and CJ was injured and one or two others. Wouldnt beleive much anyone says about injuries at the Saints or most clubs.

[bigcarl]

Wouldnt beleive much anyone says about injuries at the Saints or most clubs.

hamill two weeks

[riccardo]

I would suggest that much of Jon Raph's "RESEARCH" for his article would have been on THIS FORUM. Max's hamstring, Fraser's calf & Kosi's groin have been very popular talking points on here since Saturday !!

They do love to trawl the forum, especially the column writers.

I must admit, the few times my comments have been published, I feel a bit special!

[rexy]

d it hard to beleive that Max has not at least strained his Hammy, just from what I saw on telly. Kosi may be the truth as he did return to the bench and was said to be in good spirits, with Kosis run of injury it is hard to see him being up beat if he had any kind of real injury.

[bigcarl]

I would suggest that much of Jon Raph's "RESEARCH" for his article would have been on THIS FORUM. Max's hamstring, Fraser's calf & Kosi's groin have been very popular talking points on here since Saturday !!

They do love to trawl the forum, especially the column writers.

I must admit, the few times my comments have been published, I feel a bit special!

to be fair to them, why wouldn't you?

it is the best guide to see what the passionate fans are talking about and "what they are talking about" (or will talk about) is journalists' bread and butter

it's no different to a journalist having a few drinks in the social club and trying to pick up stories that way ... and this is a public forum