MELBOURNE coach Steven King is weighing up all his options when it comes to how the Demons will take shape against the West Coast Eagles this Sunday.
You can watch the press conference below.
RD 9 | Media Conference | Steven King
Steven King addresses the media ahead of our Round 9 clash with West Coast.
On CEO Change
“Obviously there's noise around it, but in terms of our footy department and what we do inside here from a coaching point of view and for the players to play, I think it's doesn't really take too much focus off what we're doing.”
Balancing honourable losses
"As I mentioned after the game, I think I was really proud of the boys and the way they fought it out. But you don't get any bonus points for fighting games out. You get nothing. So in reflection, I think we played three quarters of footy where we were courageous enough to play our way, and the second quarter we went away from us playing our way and that's credit to Sydney as well."
Defence versus offence
"We don't walk away going, we want teams to kick over 100 points. I understand the way we play, albeit it's not going to be perfect, that provides opportunity at times. But when I showed some edits from the second quarter, it wasn't from attacking ball use and us getting ahead of the footy that coughed up scores. There's just some fundamental breakdowns, just some lack of concentration in some system with us behind the ball."
Mihocek's Timetable
"He actually ran yesterday which is pleasing. I think from the scan it's three to five weeks. We're hoping on the lower end, but getting moving early and hopefully getting back in a couple of weeks."
Replacing Mihocek
"We've got options. You know with the two Maxes that can play ruck and forward. Luker Kentfield played well (in the VFL). There's an opportunity for us to go smaller maybe with a Bayley Fritsch playing taller. We've got options so we'll sit down maybe after today with match committee."
Brought to you by
| Player | Injury | Estimated Return |
|---|---|---|
|
6. Caleb Windsor |
Toe |
Test
“Caleb has been managing a big toe ligament sprain he sustained in our Round 9 game against West Coast,” Richardson said. “Given we have a five-day break, Caleb will be managed for this week’s game against Essendon. “He is a young player, and we want to ensure we are setting him up well for the remainder of the season.” |
|
42. Aidan Johnson |
Hip and groin |
Test
“Aidan completed full training last week and the plan is for him to full train this week,” Griffith said. “The hope is for him to return to football via the VFL, on modified minutes.” |
|
3. Christian Salem |
Foot |
2 - 3 weeks
“Christian has integrated into main training and has been in a two-week intensive training block, which will continue into our bye week,” Griffith said. “Following the bye, we’ll look to have him available for selection.” |
|
35. Harrison Petty |
Hamstring |
2 - 4 weeks
“Right at the end of the game, Harrison went for a lunging tackle and experienced some hamstring soreness. “Scans have confirmed that he sustained a low-grade hamstring strain. With the bye coming up, we’ll be working diligently with Harrison on his reconditioning plan, and hopefully we’ll see him return following the bye.” |
|
26. Jed Adams |
Knee |
3 - 4 weeks
“Jed has returned to high-speed running and some controlled reconditioning skills, taking positive steps forward from that PCL injury,” Griffith said. “He’ll continue to work through non-contact skill progressions and then we’ll look to ramp up his contact training following the bye.” |
|
46. Lukas Cooke |
Face |
4 weeks
“During the game, Lukas experienced contact to his face in a contest, and unfortunately imaging has shown that he sustained a facial fracture,” Griffith said. “He underwent surgery today, which went well and now he’s in recovery. Our initial timeline is that he’ll likely miss four weeks, but we’ll assess further as he recovers from that surgery." |
|
20. Xavier Lindsay |
Hip and groin | 4 - 5 weeks |
|
7. Jack Viney |
Achilles + Back |
TBC
“Jack has been working incredibly hard with our high performance and medical team to return from his Achilles surgery that he had earlier this year,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, while working through his rehab from that surgery, Jack has also had a lower back concern, which is something that he’s managed over the last couple of seasons. “As a result of that lower back pain, he’s been progressing slower through his post-surgery rehab program. “Pleasingly, he has been able to progress from a strength and movement perspective through his lower back, which has now allowed him to continue through his Achilles rehab. “Jack has worked incredibly hard to get on top of both of these injuries and it’s really pleasing that he’s now starting to see some progression, with the hope to see more soon.” |
|
28. Brody Mihocek |
Neck |
Season
“You never want to see an incident in our game, like what we saw with Brody on Monday,” Richardson said. “Brody is in the very best of care and was able to undergo surgery last night, which, thankfully, went as planned. “Our primary focus right now is supporting Brody, his partner Polly and their family through his recovery, while ensuring his return to full health.” Read Article |
|
13. Jai Culley |
Knee |
Season
“Jai is recovering well from his knee reconstruction and is in the early phases of his program, which is predominately focused on getting his range of motion back and beginning strength work,” Griffith said. |
|
45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield |
Knee |
Season
“Andy went in for surgery today following his ACL injury,” Griffith said. “Once he recovers from that surgery, we’ll begin to progress him through the first stages of his knee rehab.” Read Article |
6. Caleb Windsor
“Caleb has been managing a big toe ligament sprain he sustained in our Round 9 game against West Coast,” Richardson said. “Given we have a five-day break, Caleb will be managed for this week’s game against Essendon. “He is a young player, and we want to ensure we are setting him up well for the remainder of the season.”
42. Aidan Johnson
“Aidan completed full training last week and the plan is for him to full train this week,” Griffith said. “The hope is for him to return to football via the VFL, on modified minutes.”
3. Christian Salem
“Christian has integrated into main training and has been in a two-week intensive training block, which will continue into our bye week,” Griffith said. “Following the bye, we’ll look to have him available for selection.”
35. Harrison Petty
“Right at the end of the game, Harrison went for a lunging tackle and experienced some hamstring soreness. “Scans have confirmed that he sustained a low-grade hamstring strain. With the bye coming up, we’ll be working diligently with Harrison on his reconditioning plan, and hopefully we’ll see him return following the bye.”
26. Jed Adams
“Jed has returned to high-speed running and some controlled reconditioning skills, taking positive steps forward from that PCL injury,” Griffith said. “He’ll continue to work through non-contact skill progressions and then we’ll look to ramp up his contact training following the bye.”
46. Lukas Cooke
“During the game, Lukas experienced contact to his face in a contest, and unfortunately imaging has shown that he sustained a facial fracture,” Griffith said. “He underwent surgery today, which went well and now he’s in recovery. Our initial timeline is that he’ll likely miss four weeks, but we’ll assess further as he recovers from that surgery."
7. Jack Viney
“Jack has been working incredibly hard with our high performance and medical team to return from his Achilles surgery that he had earlier this year,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, while working through his rehab from that surgery, Jack has also had a lower back concern, which is something that he’s managed over the last couple of seasons. “As a result of that lower back pain, he’s been progressing slower through his post-surgery rehab program. “Pleasingly, he has been able to progress from a strength and movement perspective through his lower back, which has now allowed him to continue through his Achilles rehab. “Jack has worked incredibly hard to get on top of both of these injuries and it’s really pleasing that he’s now starting to see some progression, with the hope to see more soon.”
28. Brody Mihocek
“You never want to see an incident in our game, like what we saw with Brody on Monday,” Richardson said. “Brody is in the very best of care and was able to undergo surgery last night, which, thankfully, went as planned. “Our primary focus right now is supporting Brody, his partner Polly and their family through his recovery, while ensuring his return to full health.”
Read Article13. Jai Culley
“Jai is recovering well from his knee reconstruction and is in the early phases of his program, which is predominately focused on getting his range of motion back and beginning strength work,” Griffith said.
45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield
“Andy went in for surgery today following his ACL injury,” Griffith said. “Once he recovers from that surgery, we’ll begin to progress him through the first stages of his knee rehab.”
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