Speaking exclusively to portadelaidefc.com.au, the club’s rehabilitation manager Jarrod Egan said the football department had prioritised the return of as many injured players to the track in the first week of January.
“The more players we can get into full training as quickly as possible will be really important,” Egan told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“Completing most of the main sessions is the most important thing we can get our players to do.
“To have only four players out of the main group at the start of next year will be a really big plus for us.”
Egan says despite a number of post-season surgeries, the club is tracking well compared to previous seasons and its injury management has placed it in a good position for the resumption of training in 2013.
“We’re probably been a bit light on in terms of our numbers [at the start of pre-season] but after Christmas we’ll progress to a close-to-full squad,” he said.
“Once we get these injuries right they’re not the sort of injuries that reoccur and we’ll have all of January and most of February to build up their skills base.”
The four players who will train to a modified program will be forwards Robbie Gray (knee), John Butcher (hip), Daniel Stewart (hip) and ruckman Brent Renouf (knee).
Gray’s injury has been of particular interest to supporters after his sickening ACL injury against Collingwood in April.
Egan says Gray has undertaken his rehabilitation with a positive mindset and is currently on track to complete it within the originally predicted 12-month timeframe.
“Robbie’s attitude has been great,” said Egan.
“Considering the significance of the injury he had – it wasn’t just a normal ACL - he’s tracking where we’d expect.
“You have your ups and downs with these injuries but he’s now been back running for six to eight weeks.
“It’s about a 12-month rehab for an injury like that and he’s tracking where we’d expect at the moment.”
Stewart’s shoulder has improved since having surgery and will look to have strengthening excises incorporated into his program after Christmas.
“His shoulder has progressed a bit slower than we’d hoped but his fitness is good,” said Egan.
Butcher and Renouf will resume running training shortly and have made positive steps towards resuming playing duties early in 2013.
“His [Renouf] rehab’s improved significantly and we’re looking to start him running at the end of this month,” said Egan.
“We’re hoping for a start-of-season return for him but you can’t really put a definite timeframe on him at the moment.
“I think Butcher is going well having had both hips cleaned out. He’s at the point where he’s ready to resume running and will start that over Christmas.
“He’ll still be a few months away from training or playing but it definitely won’t be a 12 month injury.”
Port Adelaide will resume training in the first week of January 2013.
Current injury list
Robbie Gray – knee
John Butcher – hip
Daniel Stewart – hip
Brent Renouf - knee
Egan on players to have resumed full training:
Brendon Ah Chee
“Had patella tendonitis surgery during the off-season and has been slowly recovering and basically trying to build his strength to a point where he can handle full training. “He should be back fully at the start of January. He’s been a long term project but he seems to be coming good now.”
Tom Jonas
“Had some meniscus repair done during the off-season and had some groin issues that we’d been working through all last year which affected his ability to change direction and do ‘explosive’ running training. We’ve progressed his training direction a bit slower and he’s been training really well.”
Ben Newton
“Has come back to training and done almost every session since we’ve started back. He did one light week recently but has had a close to full preseason and has been training really well.”
Cameron O’Shea
“Same as Ben – hasn’t missed a session since we’ve been back and did most of his rehab before we got back to training and was ready to go from day one – he’s going really well and has no issues.”
Darren Pfeiffer
“Darren had a full shoulder reconstruction so hasn’t resumed full contact training but is in full training and doing a lot of shadow drills and skill work where he can run and kick. He’s trained quite a bit overall.”
Nick Salter
“Came back at the same time as Cam O’Shea and Ben Newton and has been really good.”
Danny Butcher
“He’s been a bit slow in his recovery, but had a hip operation partway through the off-season. He’s back training really well though and has been approaching his training with a good attitude.”
