TonyK
CibbuanoLucas in doubt
July 30th 2008 05:40
ESSENDON forward Scott Lucas is in some doubt for Saturday's clash against Melbourne at the MCG, according to coach Matthew Knights.
Knights said Lucas was battling a variety of injuries in the Bombers' 48-point win over Collingwood last Saturday.
"Scott had some difficulty in the second half last week with a back spasm and also his ankle and knee have been a little bit of an issue for him over the last five or six weeks," Knights said.
"He hasn't done a lot of training over the last four weeks so he'd have to be really good today (at training) for me to put him out there (against the Demons)."
Knights admitted that Essendon would have to enter the match against the Demons with a 'smaller' attack if Lucas failed to prove his fitness with fellow key forwards Jay Neagle and Scott Gumbleton unavailable due to injury.
"In regards to options, as in big forwards in the VFL, there's not a lot of options to be blunt," Knights said.
"So therefore it might be just we become a little bit smaller in our forward half, we did that for parts of the game against Collingwood last week in any case, we went smaller at times, so the boys are certainly not averse to doing that."
Knights said the club would have no heistation in resting Lucas.
"If he doesn't train well today and moves really freely I think that's probably the best option for him to give him this week (off)," Knights said.
"That way his body will refresh, it'll give himself a week without that body on body competition and he may come up really well for the last part of the season."
Meanwhile, Knights said speedster Andrew Lovett is a chance to earn a recall after serving a club-imposed two-match ban for unprofessionalism.
"He is available but we'll finalise our 22 after today's training session because we've got a couple of boys that are obviously a little bit sore after two or three weeks of hard footy, so we'll make that decision post-session today," he said.
Knights said Lucas was battling a variety of injuries in the Bombers' 48-point win over Collingwood last Saturday.
"Scott had some difficulty in the second half last week with a back spasm and also his ankle and knee have been a little bit of an issue for him over the last five or six weeks," Knights said.
"He hasn't done a lot of training over the last four weeks so he'd have to be really good today (at training) for me to put him out there (against the Demons)."
Knights admitted that Essendon would have to enter the match against the Demons with a 'smaller' attack if Lucas failed to prove his fitness with fellow key forwards Jay Neagle and Scott Gumbleton unavailable due to injury.
"In regards to options, as in big forwards in the VFL, there's not a lot of options to be blunt," Knights said.
"So therefore it might be just we become a little bit smaller in our forward half, we did that for parts of the game against Collingwood last week in any case, we went smaller at times, so the boys are certainly not averse to doing that."
Knights said the club would have no heistation in resting Lucas.
"If he doesn't train well today and moves really freely I think that's probably the best option for him to give him this week (off)," Knights said.
"That way his body will refresh, it'll give himself a week without that body on body competition and he may come up really well for the last part of the season."
Meanwhile, Knights said speedster Andrew Lovett is a chance to earn a recall after serving a club-imposed two-match ban for unprofessionalism.
"He is available but we'll finalise our 22 after today's training session because we've got a couple of boys that are obviously a little bit sore after two or three weeks of hard footy, so we'll make that decision post-session today," he said.
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