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 |
|---|---|---|
7. Jack Viney |
Achilles + Back |
Available
“Jack has returned to full training over the last few weeks and completed the VFL training session on the weekend,” said Selwyn Griffith, Melbourne’s AFL High Performance Manager. “He’s been able to build his exposure to match intensities, which has been a really pleasing sign for Jack. “He’ll return through the VFL this Sunday.” |
|
22. Blake Howes |
Arm |
3 - 5 weeks
“Blake has recovered well from having surgery on his fractured arm,” Griffith said. “He returned to running this week and will have some contact modifications for the next couple of weeks. “He will then have a surgical review and then following that review, we’ll be able to redefine Blake’s return to contact and full training progressions.” |
|
20. Thomas Matthews |
Shoulder |
Season
“Tom has been managing some ongoing shoulder discomfort following the VFL Round 19 game,” Griffith said. “Off the back of imaging and discussions with external experts, it has been recommended that he has a surgical consultation. “We won’t see Tom play football against this year, with the likelihood of shoulder surgery to be this week.” |
|
26. Jed Adams |
Knee |
Season
“Following the VFL game against North Melbourne, Jed reported some knee soreness which we followed up with scans,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, they revealed that he had ruptured his PCL. Following a surgical consultation, the recommendation was for Jed to have a PCL reconstruction. It’s incredibly unfortunate news for Jed who had worked really hard to return to play this year. “This means that Jed will be sidelined for the remainder of the season and we’ll put the best plans in place to return him to peak performance in the new year.” |
|
28. Brody Mihocek |
Neck |
Season
“Brody had some follow up scans and a review from the surgeon, which have pleasingly cleared him to begin to increase some of his physical activity, which means he’s been able to return to running and strength work in the gym,” Griffith said. “This is a really positive sign for Brody as he recovers from that neck surgery.” 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 |
7. Jack Viney
“Jack has returned to full training over the last few weeks and completed the VFL training session on the weekend,” said Selwyn Griffith, Melbourne’s AFL High Performance Manager. “He’s been able to build his exposure to match intensities, which has been a really pleasing sign for Jack. “He’ll return through the VFL this Sunday.”
22. Blake Howes
“Blake has recovered well from having surgery on his fractured arm,” Griffith said. “He returned to running this week and will have some contact modifications for the next couple of weeks. “He will then have a surgical review and then following that review, we’ll be able to redefine Blake’s return to contact and full training progressions.”
20. Thomas Matthews
“Tom has been managing some ongoing shoulder discomfort following the VFL Round 19 game,” Griffith said. “Off the back of imaging and discussions with external experts, it has been recommended that he has a surgical consultation. “We won’t see Tom play football against this year, with the likelihood of shoulder surgery to be this week.”
26. Jed Adams
“Following the VFL game against North Melbourne, Jed reported some knee soreness which we followed up with scans,” Griffith said. “Unfortunately, they revealed that he had ruptured his PCL. Following a surgical consultation, the recommendation was for Jed to have a PCL reconstruction. It’s incredibly unfortunate news for Jed who had worked really hard to return to play this year. “This means that Jed will be sidelined for the remainder of the season and we’ll put the best plans in place to return him to peak performance in the new year.”
28. Brody Mihocek
“Brody had some follow up scans and a review from the surgeon, which have pleasingly cleared him to begin to increase some of his physical activity, which means he’s been able to return to running and strength work in the gym,” Griffith said. “This is a really positive sign for Brody as he recovers from that neck surgery.”
Read Article
13. 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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