Cats want to hit the ground running

The Cats get stuck into it at a training session. Source: Getty Images

GEELONG is gearing up to hit the ground running in Round 1, determined to avoid a repeat of the sluggish start that cost the Cats a top-four berth last year.

The Cats sweated through their longest pre-season session of the summer yesterday, with star midfielders Jimmy Bartel and James Kelly back in full-contact work.

Aside from injured Daniel Menzel, Geelong will have close to a full list to pick from when its NAB Cup campaign kicks off against West Coast and Fremantle in mid-February.

The Cats will pump solid match practice into their stars during the NAB Cup to try to avoid a repeat of last year's unconvincing 4-4 start.

Geelong starts the season with a Round 1 showdown against Hawthorn, then has three six-day breaks in a row, and faces reigning premier Sydney at the SCG and Collingwood inside the first eight rounds.

Young midfielder Mitch Duncan admitted yesterday the Cats could not afford to fall behind the pace early.

"We've got a tough start to the year with a couple of six-day breaks and we play some quality opposition, so our stars have got to be good," he said.

"We've got to start the year well and hopefully finish with a premiership. (A good start) is going to be crucial.

"The AFL has become a lot more even and if you're not on your game, even against the lesser sides, you'll get towelled up."

Duncan, feeling fit as he moves through his fourth AFL pre-season, said yesterday's session at Simonds Stadium was one of the toughest he had been involved in.

"It was definitely one of the toughest - one of the longest sessions of the year so far, which was good, and the boys got through," he said.

"(The season) has come around very quick. When you look at it, it's less than a month before we go to Perth to play Freo and West Coast.

"A lot of preparation has been put in, so we're really looking forward to playing good footy."

Veteran Paul Chapman ran a personal best 2km time-trial and Josh Caddy is on the verge of full-contact training.

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Nic Nat could miss two months

West Coast won't take any risks with star ruckman Nic Naitanui. Picture: Jordan Shields Source: The Sunday Times

WEST Coast ruck sensation Nic Naitanui could miss up to the first two months of the season as he recovers from serious groin surgery.

Last year's All-Australian ruckman is preparing for a likely comeback between Rounds 2 and 8 after undergoing surgery on his groins in November.

The electrifying big man is set to miss the entire NAB Cup after only recently resuming light running and training drills.

Naitanui, 22, carried the groin problem and significant soreness late last season but bravely played on, finishing with 22 games for the year.

The excitement machine barely trained throughout the final eight weeks of the season, including finals, to manage the injury.

Eagles management initially decided against surgery after the season finished but sent him in for an operation after the injury failed to improve during the post-season break.

Naitanui's ruck tandem with Dean Cox is a key plank in the club's premiership quest.

They are widely regarded as the No.1 ruck duo in the league.

While the 77-gamer's absence will be a blow to the Eagles, assistant coach Justin Longmuir said the club wanted the key big man to be reaching his peak towards September.

"He's just started running again, so he's a long way behind the rest of the group and we'll take a really cautious approach with him,'' Longmuir said.

"We really need Nic Nat firing at the end of the year, not so much at the start of the year.

"If he comes up for Round 1 that will be great, but we've got the cover if he doesn't come up for Round 1.''

Summer Barometer: Eagles' injury and training latest

The Eagles, rated third favourite ($7) to win the 2013 premiership with TAB, have a tough start to the season with home assignments against Fremantle and Hawthorn in Rounds 1 and 2.

Burgeoning 202cm ruckman Scott Lycett has been identified as Naitanui's early-season replacement after an impressive pre-season campaign.

The 20-year-old has played three career AFL games but is set to feature prominently in the NAB Cup to test his readiness for a more permanent ruck-forward berth.

"He's really come of age this pre-season, he's training the house down,'' Longmuir said on Perth radio station SPORTFM 91.3.

"Hopefully he can take his game to a new level.''

Hard-nut midfielder Daniel Kerr (knee) and Beau Waters (hip) are also expected to sit out the pre-season competition.
 

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Improving Eagles focused on flag

LOFTY GOALS: Darren Glass says West Coast's best is good enough to yield a premiership in 2013. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

DARREN Glass says West Coast's best is good enough to win this year's premiership.

The Eagles continued their pre-season training campaign in a wild and wintry session at McGillivray Oval this morning.

Glass said he and his teammates believed a flag was within their grasp after a semi-final exit last year.

"I think we're aware that our best should be good enough," he said.

"I think there'll be some improvement out of the majority of the group hopefully. We've got a lot of middle tier players, guys like Scotty Selwood, Luke Shuey, Andrew Gaff, Jack Darling, guys that will continue to improve hopefully.

"The aim over the pre-season is always to improve as much as we can. That's the focus now - improving every day, every session, and then we think if we can improve and improve a lot every summer then we should give ourselves a good chance of being up towards the top of the ladder again."

The Eagles are yet to decide on their captain for 2013, with Glass saying he would be happy with whatever the club decided.

Summer Barometer: Eagles' injury and training latest

Glass has been skipper for the past five seasons.

"If they want me to continue then I'm happy to do that. If they think the time is right for someone else I'm more than happy with that as well," the 31-year-old said.

"I think we're in a great position where we've got a lot of players really pushing hard now and setting a great standard on and of the field."

Nic Nat could miss two months

Glass said he was confident the team would be able to cover for ruckman Nic Naitanui well if he was not ready for the start of the season due to groin surgery.

"I'm confident that just about every player on our list can have a big impact for us this year," he said.

"We've got Scotty Lycett in terrific shape and travelling well, there's some depth through the ruck department with Callum (Sinclair).

"I'm confident that we'll be able to get a lot of contributors from a lot of different players this year."
 

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Daisy touch and go for Round 1

Dane Swan tries to find a way past Scott Pendlebury at Collingwood training. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun

Coach Nathan Buckley watches Collingwood train at Gosh's paddock. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD midfielder Dale Thomas is unlikely to play a major role in the Pies NAB Cup campaign as he recovers from ankle surgery.

The Pies star has removed the moonboot from his foot but is still limited in his training load.

Coach Nathan Buckley said the matchwinner would need more recovery time before joining in full training with the rest of the Pies squad.

"He's progressing fairly well, he's getting a lot of touch inside," Buckley said.

"He's been able to work specifically on his strength and he's definitely sick of the bike.

"We will get him out on the track in three weeks' time and gauge it from there."

Buckley was unsure if Thomas would be ready for the Pies' Round 1 date with North Melbourne on March 31.

"Round 1 is 10 weeks away, there's a lot of water to go under the bridge."

The Magpies' coach said he expected Nick Maxwell to be reappointed in the coming weeks as captain although he felt veteran onballer Luke Ball and former club champion Scott Pendlebury were also strong contenders for the role.

"Personally I've got no reason why 'Maxie' wouldn't be (captain),'' Buckley said.

"Our players will choose their own leadership group."

Summer Barometer: Pies' injury & training latest

And Buckley backed the club's decision to ask young defender Marley Williams to work with the Salvation Army for the next 10 weeks as punishment for an assault charge in WA.

"He'll start this evening. The guys send a van out, it's basically a soup van,'' Buckley said.

"It goes around and they spend time with the homeless throughout Melbourne city.

Picture gallery: Pies up for fight at pre-season training

"A lot of of our players have gone and done work there off their own bat from time to time.

"We just feel it's a good opportunity for Marley to see a different side of things and we'll be supporting him with our leaders attending each week as he goes through that community service which we think is appropriate.''

Williams joined the Magpies last year as a rookie and played six senior games and has been promoted to the senior list.

"Marley has got a solid character. He's not perfect,'' Buckley said.

"He's made a mistake. He's been very remorseful about it.''

- with AAP
 

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Morabito opts for LARS surgery

Anthony Morabito (left) will have LARS surgery in an attempt to save his AFL career. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: HWT Image Library

FIRST: How The Sunday Times flagged LARS treatment for Anthony Morabito last weekend. Source: PerthNow

THE father of Anthony Morabito says the young Docker almost gave football away before deciding to undergo LARS surgery.

Fremantle today announced the No.4 draft pick will have surgery next week after tearing his ACL for a third time last week.

Morabito's father Vince said it was a difficult call for his 21-year-old son.

"That was one of decisions he needed to make - whether to give it away or give it another shot," Morabito Sr said.

"Because one of the hardest things for him is that he hasn't fulfilled his dream, so that's the other thing that is driving him as well.

"He was pretty close (to retirement), but he made the decision to play on, we didn't push him into it.

"I just told him whatever he wants to do, the decision was his. He had to be happy with it and not make a decision to please anyone.

"We're pleased everything has fallen into place and we'll support him to the full."

The 21-year-old last week reinjured the left knee he had twice had reconstructed in the past two years, suffering a tear in the graft of the ligament during an attempted tackle.

Having previously had two traditional reconstructions, Morabito and the club elected to use the LARS procedure, with the youngster to fly over east for surgery next week.

The Sunday Times last week revealed Morabito had spoken with LARS pioneers Nick Malceski and Luke Webster about the merits of the procedure.

Summer Barometer: Dockers' injury and training latest

The controversial procedure has allowed players including David Rodan and Nick Malceski to return to action within half a season, but Fremantle football operations manager Chris Bond said it was too early to plot a return date for the midfielder.

"Anthony really just needed some time and space to weigh up his surgery options," he said.

"After discussions with people close to him and the football club, Anthony has decided that this surgery will give him the best chance to resume his playing career.

"Obviously with LARS there's a shorter time frame with coming back, but we think he just needs to get back from the surgery and make sure that everything is OK first.

"We'll see how he recovers from that and then we'll have a better idea."

Morabito missed the 2011 season with a left knee reconstruction after a pre-season mishap, then re-injured the knee when he was preparing for a return to the field in mid-2012.

Last week he tore the graft on his repaired left anterior cruciate ligament in a training drill.

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AFL Barometer: Summer edition

Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward is set to miss most of this season after hurting his knee at training. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: Herald Sun

EVERY TEAM: GET the latest news from the pre-season training track and medical room in our summer special.

AFL teams are back from their Christmas breaks and the countdown is on to Round 1 - that's just 66 days away (but who's counting?).

The clubs tell us everyone is having their best pre-season ever, but if you want to really know what's going on at your team it's all here - updated every day of the pre-season.

Get the inside word on which players are setting the pace, and who's lagging behind. Find out who's on a modified program - and what exactly is a modified program, anyway?

SuperFooty's 18 club Barometer pages are live now, including pre-season gold such as:

THE Olympic star helping Carlton players improve their endurance.

THE Tiger recovering from five pre-season surgeries.

THE Cat who ran a personal-best time-trial at age 31.

THE young Giant training "like a man possessed".

Click on your team flag at the top of the page to get up to date on:

- who's flying on the training track

- who's hurt and when they'll be back

- latest SuperCoach whispers

- training and travel diary

- summer picture galleries

Plus all the latest news from your club from SuperFooty's team of expert reporters around the nation.

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Jurrah blew 'five times the limit'

Liam Jurrah, the former Melbourne Demons star, has been charged with drink-driving. Source: Herald Sun

TROUBLED football star Liam Jurrah has been charged with drink-driving after the P-plater blew a staggering 0.27 when he arrived at a house where police were in attendance on Monday.

The former Melbourne star, who faces aggravated assault charges that will be decided in the Northern Territory in March, reportedly arrived at a  Para Hills address where police were dealing with another matter.

Officers from Golden Grove police reported Jurrah, 24, after they'd stopped him in his Holden Commodore about 8.20pm on Monday.

Jurrah, who is living in Elizabeth, was detained after he appeared affected by alcohol.

He was then breath-tested and returning a reading of .269 - more than five times the legal limit of .05.

He was reported for driving under the influence of alcohol, exceeding the prescribed level of alcohol and breaching a probationary licence.

His driver's licence has been disqualified for 12 months and  he will be summonsed to  appear in the Holden Hill Magistrates Court at a date still to be decided.

Port Adelaide Football Club general manager (SANFL) Brian Leys last night said Jurrah had not trained with the club since being made an offer to join its ranks after Port Power failed to take him.

Mr Leys said he had only heard reports of the drink- driving charge through the media. He added: "The offer is still open ... we'd love him to come down."

Jurrah's grandmother, Cecily Granites, told The Advertiser last night that the drink-driving matter was an issue for Jurrah and his family to sort out among themselves.

"It's between Liam and his family ... no one else's business," she said.

"We're sorting it out as a family. He's OK."

Jurrah has in recent months been known to frequent Adelaide's south parklands to visit family members.

The footballer has also attended the Hutt Street Centre for homeless people on a number of occasions.

A family member said that Jurrah had often taken food to  homeless people during his  visits there.

Most of those living in the parklands with whom Jurrah had contact have been moved on after the bashing murder of  a 41-year-old homeless man in December.

A man, 29, of no fixed address, has been charged with the murder.

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Stats don't lie and Pies went backwards

Scott Pendlebury and Dane Swan get a little rough at a Collingwood training session at Gosh's Paddock. Picture: Nicole Garmston. Source: Herald Sun

COLLINGWOOD wants to stop the bleeding in the back half which undermined its premiership ambitions last season.

After revolutionising the game with its famed "press" tactics in 2010-11, the Pies pressure weakened last season, prompting a thorough review of the team's defensive operations over summer.

According to Champion Data, Collingwood was ranked No. 1 for time the ball spent inside forward-50m in 2010 and 2011, but slid to 11th last year, when they were beaten by premier Sydney in the preliminary final.

While the early-season return of key backman Lachlan Keeffe from a knee reconstruction will help defend the back-50m, the Pies have also zeroed in on how they protect the ball up the ground.

Coach Nathan Buckley said yesterday the Pies wanted to put the hand breaks on the opposition's scoring in 2013.

"We had heavy scores against, especially against good opponents, which we've clearly identified in our review," Buckley said.

"We allowed too many scores per percentage of inside 50s and we allowed too many inside 50s, so it's definitely a focus of ours.

"We need to be able to slow the opposition ball movement down a bit better than we did in 2012.

"Good defensive sides are generally good transition sides - sides that can be aggressive on both sides of the ball.

"We are practicing that and we'll get a chance to practice that in real time in the NAB Cup and early in the season."

Nick Maxwell, who is critical to the defensive setup with the aerial support he provides teammates, is again set to lead the Pies this year.

Buckley said although the leadership process was still incomplete, Maxwell had his vote.

"Personally, I've got no reason why Maxy wouldn't be (captain)," Buckley said.

Dale Thomas has removed the moon boot from his recovering ankle, but won't train with the main squad for another three weeks.

First-choice ruckman Darren Jolly is continuing an impressive pre-season but Buckley lauded the impact new tall recruits Ben Hudson and Quinten Lynch had had some arriving at Lexus Centre.

"Ben Hudson has been fantastic, he brings a bit of mongrel into the way that our big fellas go about it," he said.

"I think already that's starting to rub off on our younger talls and we're looking forward to that continuing."

Lynch lost his place in the Eagles' side last season but is set to play a key role in attack for the Pies, as a ruck-forward replacement for new Demon Chris Dawes.

Buckley said Lynch's work ethic had been so strong he needed to be "held back" over summer.

"He's been great, he's a work horse and he's everything we thought we were recruiting," Buckley said.

"You need to put a leash on him.

"If you said we've got 20 x 400m and we're only going to give you 15 seconds break in between, he would put his foot on the line and put his head down and get ready to run. There's no questions."

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Carlile fighting fit and raring to go

Port Adelaide training at Alberton and Alipate Carlile is looking good. Picture: Calum Robertson. Source: The Advertiser

ALIPATE Carlile is in the shape of his life as he readies himself to lead Port Adelaide's reshaped backline this season.

The key defender endured a rocky 2012 season, getting axed from the Power line-up for failing a skinfolds test mid-season and battling to find consistency on his return from the SANFL.

But the arrival of new coach Ken Hinkley at Alberton appears to have shocked the at times laconic backman into action, with Carlile reaching peak fitness this summer.

Even a holiday to Fiji for his mother's 50th birthday failed to halt the 25-year-old's momentum, who was yesterday spotted tearing up the track in Port's training session at Alberton.

"Bobby Carlile has really stepped up this year," Port defensive coach Matthew Nicks said. "He's in the best nick I've seen since I arrived at the club. It's fantastic to see him working hard and getting results for it as well."

Nicks said the clean slate created by Hinkley's arrival was spurring on the playing group. "I think that's probably the best part about our group this year, there are no givens," Nicks said. "Everyone has to earn their spot and Bobby knows that."

The departures of Troy Chaplin, Danyle Pearce and Jacob Surjan mean Carlile is now the sixth-most experienced player on Port's list with 111 career games.

He faces a defining year alongside fellow defensive mainstay Jackson Trengove as they look to make the transition from emerging players to full-blown on-field leaders.

"Trying to get that consistency back in my game (is) one of my main goals," Carlile told his club's website.

"(I'm) wanting to help the back six settle and get as much improvement as we can next year and try to get some wins on the board."

Carlile credited Hinkley for instilling new discipline at Alberton.

Exciting forward Cam Hitchcock had surgery yesterday to relieve plantar fascia in his foot. The club expects he will resume running "in a few weeks" and should be available for the Power's NAB Cup campaign.

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Staker's knee faces biggest test

Brent Staker cools off during a hot training session in Brisbane. Picture: Jono Searle Source: The Courier-Mail

BRENT Staker stands in the goal square at the Brisbane Lions' Coorparoo training base looking a million dollars.

His knee is heavily bandaged, but he looks as fit as always. Ridiculously fit in fact.

Then he leads at the footy and you hold your breath.

Staker's athleticism is undoubted and his value to a team that has been undersized over the past two years is undisputed, but his dodgy knee's ability to withstand the rigorous of AFL is uncertain.

The 29-year-old's dedication to his rehabilitation has been faultless.

If they handed out games on professionalism, he would be in the side in Round 1.

He has been able to convince himself he is ready to go through hard work over summer, but only when he has played games will others breathe more easily.

"People say there are mental scars, but I don't think there is too much to worry about," Staker said.

"Pre-Christmas there were a couple of marking contests where I was thinking about it, I was a bit nervous and maybe I didn't go in that hard, but it just isn't entering my head now."

Staker underwent two reconstructions and a bone graft on his right knee over a horror two year period that followed an impressive debut season for Brisbane in 2010.

Round 1 in 2011 was a game famous for the horrific facial injury to skipper Jonathan Brown, but it also started the nightmare stretch for former West Coast star Staker when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.

Staker chose to undergo the radical LARS procedure, which uses a synthetic ligament, and it appeared to have paid dividends when he was back in the side by Round 17.

But it wasn't long before Staker damaged his ACL once again and this time he opted for a conventional reconstruction this time around.

Again there was a setback, although this time it was immediate.

The surgeon found a hole in Staker's knee that had to be filled before the reconstruction could be completed.

That procedure set Staker back six more months, and killed off his chances of playing last year.

Now he is fit, but he must still force his way back into a side that has been bolstered by key position players Stefan Martin (Melbourne), Jordan Lisle (Hawthorn) and Billy Longer (2011 draft).

"I've got to earn that game," he said.

"It would be unfair to come in and be a walk-up start. You have to fit into the team structure you have to be able to get a kick.

"I feel my skills are pretty good for a bigger guy and I can run. I consider that to be a bit vital."
 

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