Post by tajiritarantula on Mar 11, 2005 4:50:18 GMT -5
The Kangaroos have suffered a hammer blow ahead of the 2005 AFL season, with news that forward Daniel Motlop will miss at least the first 16 weeks of the season.
Motlop had suffered recurring shoulder dislocations in pre-season matches and missed practice match loss to St Kilda, with coach Dean Laidley breaking the bad news after the game.
"He has always had a troublesome shoulder, and we have scanned it all the way along," Laidley said.
"After the last three episodes (in two Wizard Cup matches and the Aboriginal All-Stars match) there is a bit of damage there.
"It's really disappointing because he was really set for a big year.
"It hasn't hit him yet, I've sent him home for a few days (to Darwin) and he comes back on Monday or Tuesday.
"He can gather his thoughts and spend some time with his family." Motlop will have surgery on Wednesday - his 23rd birthday.
The injury comes at a time when his brother Shannon was being auditioned by Melbourne for a return to AFL circles as a replacement for the late Troy Broadbridge.
Motlop had been in good form in the pre-season, and without him the Kangaroos forward line - centring around Sav Rocca and the out-of-touch Drew Petrie - looked less than potent.
Motlop's misfortune overshadowed the 8.13 (61) to 6.10 (46) loss to St Kilda which represented the last ever AFL match at Moorabbin, with the Saints home to be converted purely to a training facility.
There was further bad news from the match, with Corey McKernan injuring his A/C joint.
Laidley said it was a one-week injury, and should still be available for round one.
The match was one of few highlights, with St Kilda resting a slew of senior players such as Nick Riewoldt, Luke Ball, Fraser Gehrig, Aaron Hamill, Brendan Goddard and Aussie Jones.
The Roos were much closer to full strength, missing only Daniel Wells, Motlop and Nathan Thompson.
The Saints were encouraged by the form of youngsters Andrew McQualter and Barry Brooks, while Raphael Clarke and Luke Molan had a run.
The club will ask permission from the AFL for several players to play in a VFL practice match - a weekend when AFL clubs were banned from playing practice games.
Among them could be reigning Coleman Medallist Gehrig, who had been troubled by a back injury, but was hopeful of being ready to take on Brisbane in round one.
"It's a really big ask but Fraser is probably worth that," assistant coach Nathan Burke said.
Motlop had suffered recurring shoulder dislocations in pre-season matches and missed practice match loss to St Kilda, with coach Dean Laidley breaking the bad news after the game.
"He has always had a troublesome shoulder, and we have scanned it all the way along," Laidley said.
"After the last three episodes (in two Wizard Cup matches and the Aboriginal All-Stars match) there is a bit of damage there.
"It's really disappointing because he was really set for a big year.
"It hasn't hit him yet, I've sent him home for a few days (to Darwin) and he comes back on Monday or Tuesday.
"He can gather his thoughts and spend some time with his family." Motlop will have surgery on Wednesday - his 23rd birthday.
The injury comes at a time when his brother Shannon was being auditioned by Melbourne for a return to AFL circles as a replacement for the late Troy Broadbridge.
Motlop had been in good form in the pre-season, and without him the Kangaroos forward line - centring around Sav Rocca and the out-of-touch Drew Petrie - looked less than potent.
Motlop's misfortune overshadowed the 8.13 (61) to 6.10 (46) loss to St Kilda which represented the last ever AFL match at Moorabbin, with the Saints home to be converted purely to a training facility.
There was further bad news from the match, with Corey McKernan injuring his A/C joint.
Laidley said it was a one-week injury, and should still be available for round one.
The match was one of few highlights, with St Kilda resting a slew of senior players such as Nick Riewoldt, Luke Ball, Fraser Gehrig, Aaron Hamill, Brendan Goddard and Aussie Jones.
The Roos were much closer to full strength, missing only Daniel Wells, Motlop and Nathan Thompson.
The Saints were encouraged by the form of youngsters Andrew McQualter and Barry Brooks, while Raphael Clarke and Luke Molan had a run.
The club will ask permission from the AFL for several players to play in a VFL practice match - a weekend when AFL clubs were banned from playing practice games.
Among them could be reigning Coleman Medallist Gehrig, who had been troubled by a back injury, but was hopeful of being ready to take on Brisbane in round one.
"It's a really big ask but Fraser is probably worth that," assistant coach Nathan Burke said.
![[D619S-Arrow] Avatar](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v713/arrowbucket/obi2.gif)
and so do most other teams!