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View Full Version : Cooney shows signs



bornadog
28-08-2012, 08:58 PM
Link (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/westernbulldogsnewsfeatures/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/146009/default.aspx)

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/22GeWB12LC1320_246c.jpg

ADAM Cooney has recovered well from his first major hit-out in two months and is primed to finish the season strongly against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, says Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney.

It's an exciting turn of events for Bulldogs fans, who have feared the worst for their 26-year-old champion as he battles a degenerative knee problem.

Cooney's career has appeared in doubt for much of the season, and those doubts only intensified in recent weeks.

The Brownlow medallist missed six games (rounds 15-20) before returning to play little more than a quarter (33 per cent game time) as a substitute in the round 21 loss to the Sydney Swans. The cameo appearance - in which Cooney had six possessions - seemed to prove little.

In contrast, his performance in a losing side at Geelong on Sunday appeared to prove infinitely more.

In 83 per cent game time, most of it spent in the midfield, Cooney amassed season-highs in disposals (28) and inside 50s (six). He also slotted a trademark running goal from outside 50.

In many ways Cooney was back to his brilliant former self: he was quick, elusive, fluent and purposeful.

The effort won't completely silence the doubters - only sustained performance will do that - but it went a long way to suggest Cooney can be a meaningful contributor in the Bulldogs' rebirth.

A perhaps fanciful view is that it might well be viewed as the day Cooney underwent his own rebirth.

The alternate view is that it could just as easily prove a false dawn, with Cooney's knee only allowing him to produce something resembling his best every so often, and not for several weeks in succession.

Even McCartney suggested post-match on Sunday that the forgiving surface at Simonds Stadium would have been more to Cooney's liking. More pointedly, the Bulldogs play their home matches at Etihad Stadium, which is notoriously hard on the leg joints.

Nonetheless, it was heartening to hear McCartney speak in positive tones about Cooney's fitness and his importance to the Bulldogs.

"He helped our ball movement, there's no doubt about that. He's so creative and he doesn’t worry about what's happening in the game; he does things instinctively with the ball," McCartney said at Whitten Oval on Tuesday.

"He added to the group and helped a couple of young players who were able to get the ball to him and he was able to carry it to a more dangerous spot."

During Cooney's lay-off, some suggested the Bulldogs should put him out to pasture for the rest of the season, but McCartney said his late-season return had been "very important" for both player and the club.

"We had a plan, and we outlined that plan about eight weeks ago, and we said that at no stage were we finishing the year for Adam. We wanted to give him an opportunity to maybe train a little differently and do things a little differently, with the aim to get him back and play," he said.

"He's pulled up really well from the weekend, so we're hoping for a good performance again this week."

SlimPickens
28-08-2012, 10:05 PM
It was good to see more fluid and comfortable movement by Adam. He didnt look hindered at all by his knee, I just hope this is good management more than good luck.

Hotdog60
29-08-2012, 05:19 AM
It was good to see more fluid and comfortable movement by Adam. He didnt look hindered at all by his knee, I just hope this is good management more than good luck.

Or good surface.

Maddog37
29-08-2012, 08:44 AM
Must admit I thought he was done and dusted.

Watching him on the weekend, although he wasn't at the top of his game fully, really reminded me just how good he is. You would think Griff enjoyed having him back too.

Ghost Dog
29-08-2012, 10:06 AM
:D
Or good surface.

Well do we have to look at the soles of his shoes then?


COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

All those on this forum who said he is done and dusted put this little clip in your pipe and smoke it!

vyg8qi36ruU

And who's helping him out but the ever reliable hands of Nathan Djekurra!:D
Keep this one on youtube for prosperity!
Not a bad run from the umpire too, nice little burst from the man in the green shorts.

BornInDroopSt'54
29-08-2012, 10:54 AM
:D

Well do we have to look at the soles of his shoes then?


COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

All those on this forum who said he is done and dusted put this little clip in your pipe and smoke it!

vyg8qi36ruU

And who's helping him out but the ever reliable hands of Nathan Djekurra!:D
Keep this one on youtube for prosperity!
Not a bad run from the umpire too, nice little burst from the man in the green shorts.

All three were magnificent. Better than ballet any day.

bornadog
29-08-2012, 11:40 AM
:D
Not a bad run from the umpire too, nice little burst from the man in the green shorts.

Sign him up now:D

Maddog37
29-08-2012, 11:44 AM
Ghost Dog,

"All those on this forum who said he is done and dusted put this little clip in your pipe and smoke it!"

Is this tounge in cheek?

Ghost Dog
29-08-2012, 12:19 PM
Ghost Dog,

"All those on this forum who said he is done and dusted put this little clip in your pipe and smoke it!"

Is this tounge in cheek?

I'm always 100% serious Maddog. :D ( eg: ever reliable hands of Mr Nathan Djekurra ! )
That clip 'winds the clock back' as the commentator said. Had tears in my eyes..COOOOONEY!

LostDoggy
29-08-2012, 02:12 PM
I didn't see the game, by all accounts he moved well.
I'm interested to hear how he has pulled up this week? It's one thing to runout a game, however it would be bad news if that game left him sore for two weeks. Anyone have info?

FrediKanoute
29-08-2012, 07:50 PM
I know it will never happen, but if playing at Etihad is not good for Cooney's knees, wouldn't it be the right thing to do to trade/give him to a club that doesn't play on such a hard surface. I'm thinking one of the Adelaide clubs, Geelong, maybe Sydney.

It will do nothing for us, because no club is going to give a high draft pick for Cooney, but it may just extend his playing career and mean he is not a cripple come the end of his playing days.

I don't want him to leave, but equally I don't want him to struggle because the surface at Etihad is sh*t

Jeanette54
29-08-2012, 10:13 PM
I agree it was great to see "Coons" showing something of his old form. But somehow Nathan Djekurra's contribution to Sunday's game seems to have slipped through the cracks.

I thought by far his best game of the season. The channel seven replays showed him constantly involved in our forward moves.

Hotdog60
30-08-2012, 05:34 AM
I agree it was great to see "Coons" showing something of his old form. But somehow Nathan Djekurra's contribution to Sunday's game seems to have slipped through the cracks.

I thought by far his best game of the season. The channel seven replays showed him constantly involved in our forward moves.

I'll even go to say it's the best game for us since he joined. Can he still improve and become consistent is the question.

He only needs to do that every week and he will be an automatic 22.

bornadog
30-08-2012, 08:47 AM
I'll even go to say it's the best game for us since he joined. Can he still improve and become consistent is the question.

He only needs to do that every week and he will be an automatic 22.

A lot of us had him as a delist at the end of season, but I bet the MC give him another year. Based on Sundays game, if he can reproduce it, he deserves another year.

Nuggety Back Pocket
30-08-2012, 10:22 AM
I agree it was great to see "Coons" showing something of his old form. But somehow Nathan Djekurra's contribution to Sunday's game seems to have slipped through the cracks.

I thought by far his best game of the season. The channel seven replays showed him constantly involved in our forward moves.
DJ was very good against the Cats in a display that may have saved him from being delisted, The coach had shown confidence in him by keeping him in the senior line up and that is possibly now being repaid. Similar to Dickson he has a stronger more mature body to give us more depth in the middle bracket of our list.

Ghost Dog
30-08-2012, 10:47 AM
I agree it was great to see "Coons" showing something of his old form. But somehow Nathan Djekurra's contribution to Sunday's game seems to have slipped through the cracks.

I thought by far his best game of the season. The channel seven replays showed him constantly involved in our forward moves.

Good point Jeanette54. I had a dig at DJ before as he has had fumbles in the past. but reward for effort for him last week. Well done Nathan.

Maddog37
30-08-2012, 11:17 AM
Maybe he felt more comfortable and confident at the Cattery. He would have trained with/against alot of those blokes and knew he could hold his own.

Just a theory.....

Remi Moses
02-09-2012, 07:54 PM
Thought he was a positive tonight