TonyK
CibbuanoOttens injury not as bad as first thought
April 4th 2009 09:31
GEELONG ruckman Brad Ottens' knee injury isn't as bad as first thought according to coach Mark Thompson.
Ottens was helped from the field late in the first quarter of the Cats' 20-point win over Richmond at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon and there were fears that the former Tiger would miss the remainder of the season.
But Thompson said he expects Ottens to return in four to six weeks.
"He has done a medial, grade one maybe grade two," Thompson said.
"It's a better result than we initially thought. We thought he had a posterior cruciate, which is the ruckman's curse. You don't like to see it. You know straight away when people can't get to their feet and walk or run [that] they're in a bit of trouble."
"We had our fingers crossed and it's not completely bad news."
Thompson said Trent West and Shane Mumford are the men most likely to provide support to Mark Blake in the ruck.
"We've got enough depth there. It will come out of guys like Trent West and Shane Mumford," he said.
"That's the beauty of our team. It creates opportunity for the young guys to get a few games, and we'll cope okay without him."
Meanwhile, the Cats' first round draft pick Mitch Brown will miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg during a VFL practice match against Collingwood earlier in the day.
Ottens was helped from the field late in the first quarter of the Cats' 20-point win over Richmond at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon and there were fears that the former Tiger would miss the remainder of the season.
But Thompson said he expects Ottens to return in four to six weeks.
"He has done a medial, grade one maybe grade two," Thompson said.
"It's a better result than we initially thought. We thought he had a posterior cruciate, which is the ruckman's curse. You don't like to see it. You know straight away when people can't get to their feet and walk or run [that] they're in a bit of trouble."
"We had our fingers crossed and it's not completely bad news."
Thompson said Trent West and Shane Mumford are the men most likely to provide support to Mark Blake in the ruck.
"We've got enough depth there. It will come out of guys like Trent West and Shane Mumford," he said.
"That's the beauty of our team. It creates opportunity for the young guys to get a few games, and we'll cope okay without him."
Meanwhile, the Cats' first round draft pick Mitch Brown will miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg during a VFL practice match against Collingwood earlier in the day.
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