penga
21st May 2003, 10:32 AM
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/20/1053196590048.html
Top Swans struggling to come up for clash
By Jessica Halloran and AAP
May 21 2003
Swans Michael O'Loughlin and Jason Saddington are unlikely to play against the Kangaroos in Canberra on Sunday.
O'Loughlin (calf) and Saddington (hip) were injured at training last Friday, missing the win against Geelong at the weekend. Club doctor Nathan Gibbs said that if the players missed this week's match at Manuka Oval, they should be fit for the round-10 match against Richmond.
Swans coach Paul Roos said he would wait until Friday to make a decision on the two.
"Hopefully O'Loughlin will play," he said. "If he doesn't play he's really only missed two full weeks. It should not have any major consequences on his form."
Gibbs said last week's wet weather had taken a physical toll not only on O'Loughlin and Saddington but most players.
"It's taken them longer to recover, it was harder to run and the ball's heavier," he said. "It was the first time they had really trained in the wet this year. All the players were a bit flatter."
Roos will not make any major changes to the side that defeated Geelong by 39 points, but forward Matthew Nicks may return after a good performance in the reserves.
"Nicksy played well, we would be looking to pick him this week," Roos said. Essendon captain James Hird will miss only one more game after being cleared of a deep vein thrombosis.
An ultrasound yesterday revealed no sign of a small clot Hird had in his right calf following a knock he suffered two weeks ago. Initially, Hird feared he would be sidelined for longer.
He will miss Friday night's game against Port Adelaide but expects to be available to play against West Coast in the following round.
"I went in on Saturday to the Epworth Hospital and had an ultrasound on my calf and it showed a small clot in the calf," Hird said. "I went in today and had another ultrasound and that clot seems to have resolved itself.
"The specialist has said the clot's not there any more and has cleared me to play when the pain goes away in my calf.
"The news on the weekend wasn't great and was a bit disturbing but the news today is very positive and I think it's about time some good luck came my way."
Hird suffered the injury when Richmond's Mark Chaffey fell on him during the game at the MCG.
Essendon club doctor Bruce Reid said deep vein clots potentially could cause problems moving around in the bloodstream, but there was little risk with the surface clot Hird had.
"The blood clot was in the muscle vein, not what we consider the deep veins . . . which are potentially dangerous," he said.
Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said Hird had "gone through a fair bit". Hird was seriously hurt last year, missing seven weeks with a facial injury.
"He's one of those athletes who struggles and just needs to get a break every now and then," Sheedy said.
Top Swans struggling to come up for clash
By Jessica Halloran and AAP
May 21 2003
Swans Michael O'Loughlin and Jason Saddington are unlikely to play against the Kangaroos in Canberra on Sunday.
O'Loughlin (calf) and Saddington (hip) were injured at training last Friday, missing the win against Geelong at the weekend. Club doctor Nathan Gibbs said that if the players missed this week's match at Manuka Oval, they should be fit for the round-10 match against Richmond.
Swans coach Paul Roos said he would wait until Friday to make a decision on the two.
"Hopefully O'Loughlin will play," he said. "If he doesn't play he's really only missed two full weeks. It should not have any major consequences on his form."
Gibbs said last week's wet weather had taken a physical toll not only on O'Loughlin and Saddington but most players.
"It's taken them longer to recover, it was harder to run and the ball's heavier," he said. "It was the first time they had really trained in the wet this year. All the players were a bit flatter."
Roos will not make any major changes to the side that defeated Geelong by 39 points, but forward Matthew Nicks may return after a good performance in the reserves.
"Nicksy played well, we would be looking to pick him this week," Roos said. Essendon captain James Hird will miss only one more game after being cleared of a deep vein thrombosis.
An ultrasound yesterday revealed no sign of a small clot Hird had in his right calf following a knock he suffered two weeks ago. Initially, Hird feared he would be sidelined for longer.
He will miss Friday night's game against Port Adelaide but expects to be available to play against West Coast in the following round.
"I went in on Saturday to the Epworth Hospital and had an ultrasound on my calf and it showed a small clot in the calf," Hird said. "I went in today and had another ultrasound and that clot seems to have resolved itself.
"The specialist has said the clot's not there any more and has cleared me to play when the pain goes away in my calf.
"The news on the weekend wasn't great and was a bit disturbing but the news today is very positive and I think it's about time some good luck came my way."
Hird suffered the injury when Richmond's Mark Chaffey fell on him during the game at the MCG.
Essendon club doctor Bruce Reid said deep vein clots potentially could cause problems moving around in the bloodstream, but there was little risk with the surface clot Hird had.
"The blood clot was in the muscle vein, not what we consider the deep veins . . . which are potentially dangerous," he said.
Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy said Hird had "gone through a fair bit". Hird was seriously hurt last year, missing seven weeks with a facial injury.
"He's one of those athletes who struggles and just needs to get a break every now and then," Sheedy said.