DAKS BACK?!
February 7th 2007 21:31
I can play Round 1 - Pie Alan Didak
08 February 2007 Herald-Sun
Mike Sheahan
THEY said Alan Didak wouldn't play until mid-season after his knee reconstruction; he says he might play Round 1.
The Collingwood star, operated on in September, is months ahead of schedule and expected back by Round 4 at the latest.
"Every time I walk past (coach) Mick (Malthouse), I say, 'I could be ready for Round 1', and there's a bit of a smile," Didak said yesterday.
"In the past couple of weeks, I've improved a month-and-a-half, if you know what I mean."
Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann was confident the 2006 club champion and All-Australian would be ready to face the Kangaroos at the MCG on March 31.
Football operations manager Geoff Walsh was slightly more conservative, predicting any time up to Round 4.
Didak said his surgeon Julian Feller had been pleased with his progress at their most recent appointment two weeks ago.
"Everyone's pretty happy with the way I'm going," Didak said. "Round 1 would be great.
"If I keep going the way I am, there's obviously a good chance."
He conceded it would be tight.
"I haven't done any lateral movement yet, and that's vital to my game," Didak said.
"They say it can take up to 12 months, but I've got short legs and a low centre of gravity. I might have a bit of an edge on a few other people."
Didak, 24 next week, suffered a 70 per cent tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Fremantle in Round 15, yet still managed to complete the season.
"I went for a mark against, I think it was Steven Dodd, and I stuck my leg out . . . and heard a little crunch," he said.
"It just kept getting sorer and sorer. By the Friday, it was fine and then I'd play again."
The full extent of the damage wasn't known until a planned post-season clean-up, when he woke to find he needed major repair work a fortnight later.
The leg withered after the two procedures, but Didak is back to his playing weight of 83-84kg.
Asked about possible psychological scarring, he said: "The good thing for me is that I kept playing (eight games) with it, and didn't know how bad it was at the time.
"If I think I'm right and the medical people are happy, I'll play Round 1, but I won't put any extra pressure on myself."
Whatever the eventual return date, it promises to be at least two months ahead of the most optimistic assessment of three months ago.
08 February 2007 Herald-Sun
Mike Sheahan
THEY said Alan Didak wouldn't play until mid-season after his knee reconstruction; he says he might play Round 1.
The Collingwood star, operated on in September, is months ahead of schedule and expected back by Round 4 at the latest.
"Every time I walk past (coach) Mick (Malthouse), I say, 'I could be ready for Round 1', and there's a bit of a smile," Didak said yesterday.
"In the past couple of weeks, I've improved a month-and-a-half, if you know what I mean."
Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann was confident the 2006 club champion and All-Australian would be ready to face the Kangaroos at the MCG on March 31.
Football operations manager Geoff Walsh was slightly more conservative, predicting any time up to Round 4.
Didak said his surgeon Julian Feller had been pleased with his progress at their most recent appointment two weeks ago.
"Everyone's pretty happy with the way I'm going," Didak said. "Round 1 would be great.
"If I keep going the way I am, there's obviously a good chance."
He conceded it would be tight.
"I haven't done any lateral movement yet, and that's vital to my game," Didak said.
"They say it can take up to 12 months, but I've got short legs and a low centre of gravity. I might have a bit of an edge on a few other people."
Didak, 24 next week, suffered a 70 per cent tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Fremantle in Round 15, yet still managed to complete the season.
"I went for a mark against, I think it was Steven Dodd, and I stuck my leg out . . . and heard a little crunch," he said.
"It just kept getting sorer and sorer. By the Friday, it was fine and then I'd play again."
The full extent of the damage wasn't known until a planned post-season clean-up, when he woke to find he needed major repair work a fortnight later.
The leg withered after the two procedures, but Didak is back to his playing weight of 83-84kg.
Asked about possible psychological scarring, he said: "The good thing for me is that I kept playing (eight games) with it, and didn't know how bad it was at the time.
"If I think I'm right and the medical people are happy, I'll play Round 1, but I won't put any extra pressure on myself."
Whatever the eventual return date, it promises to be at least two months ahead of the most optimistic assessment of three months ago.
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