Ryan Hargrave - Big Blow

[bornadog]

Shaggy's foot is listed in the injury thread as indefinite. Sounds like he has had a major blow with his foot injury and may not play again this season. What started as an operation in the preseason, then Shaggy hurting it again when going for a run before Christmas and only playing a couple of games this season, has now resulted in what looks like a season ending problem.

Shaggy will be 30 years old in a few weeks time and it makes you wonder whether he will be back next season? With Lake and Shaggy both out this year, the backline has looked very shaky but has also given oportunities for Wood, and Markovic and for Williams to take more responsibility.

[Curly5]

When I first heard about this injury I thought of Michael Egan of Geelong. I wonder if it's the same? It wouldn't surprise me if this is the end for Shaggy :( but I really hope it's not.

[The Coon Dog]

When I first heard about this injury I thought of Michael Egan of Geelong. I wonder if it's the same? It wouldn't surprise me if this is the end for Shaggy :( but I really hope it's not.
Michael Egan, great back pocket for us, wore number 10. Matthew is the Geelong Egan.

[Curly5]

Michael Egan, great back pocket for us, wore number 10. Matthew is the Geelong Egan.

oops :o I was close tho ;)

[G-Mo77]

Hindsight obviously comes into the equation here but on the surface we have managed our injured players very poorly.

[Cyberdoggie]

I don't think we have looked too bad in defence this year.

If you told me last year that Lake and Hargrave weren't going to be regulars in our defence i'd say that we were going to cough up goals willy nilly.

I don't think this has happened, certainly not as a result of our defence.
Probably only the west coast and geelong game was when we looked bad, but we looked terrible everywhere, and it wasn't our defence that was the reason for our poor display.

I'd say we've been average to good in this area and we are on the improve.
Markovic is a good spoiler who beats his opponent 1-1 more often than not, Morris is a gun, Williams has his moments but can also be a spud, Wood returned from injury with little confidence but is steadily improving and getting his run back into his game, Murphy is a gun and Gilbee has shown a better effort in recent weeks (perhaps the wake up call has worked - for now).

I think where we fall down in games against better opponents is always when we are under pressure and not prepared to run the ball. Our defenders hold their own on most occasions and i don't particularly cringe whenever a key forward from the opposition is near the ball. I really only feel this when the little tip rat or cyril rioli get their hands on the ball inside 50.

This injury is a big setback for Ryan but we just have to be patient with him and give him time. He has shown in the past that it doesn't take him long to have an impact when he is fit. He doesn't usually require long periods in the vfl to find form like Lake has done this season. Hargrave could be like Fletcher and play for some time yet, they are similar builds and types of player.

[Greystache]

He trained but only lightly, did about 1/3 of the session. T Hill was also running on the side lines.

[Greystache]

He certainly wasn't running gingerly, he joined in the full ground drills and ran really hard through the centre, seemed to me like he was really testing it out.

[stefoid]

If Tom hill is getting ready to return, Barlow is on borrowed time - bad time to be injured.