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Scott Pendlebury opens up about his secret struggle with a back problem during the 2018 season
Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury has revealed the immense pain he fought throughout the 2018 season after a serious back problem which required post-season surgery.
Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury has revealed his secret struggle with a back problem last year which required post-season surgery.
The superstar onballer went under the knife after the Grand Final loss to relieve a debilitating nerve issue which hampered him in the second-half of last season.
While the five-time club champion has since regained full mobility, Pendlebury said he could barely pick the ball up off the ground at times last year.
“I was in a bit of strife most weeks last year,” Pendlebury said on the Jock and Journo podcast.
“It is not a nice feeling when you come out after half-time and you can barely touch your knees.
“I couldn’t believe the difference when I started training again in the summer (after the surgery), just being able to bend over and pick up ground balls easily.
“I remember saying to one of the physios ‘it feels good being able to get down to the ground so easily without having to worry about coming back up’.”
Pendlebury, 31, bravely fought on through the pain and restriction, playing 25 senior matches as Collingwood managed a crippling injury list last year.
He finished top-three in the best and fairest for the eighth time in nine seasons and ranked No. 1 for applied pressure at the club despite the back problem.
The brilliant ballwinner said he looked forward to playing with more physical freedom alongside superstar recruit Dayne Beams when the Pies open their 2019 campaign against Geelong in Friday night’s MCG blockbuster.
“Towards the back end of games I could feel everything in my body tighten up and brace, just because it was trying to protect itself,” he said.
“I programed my body to get used to it.
“But we had a lot of injuries last year, and the last thing we needed was me to put my hand up and say ‘I needed a week off’. I think the load got to me.”
Entering his 14th season, Pendelbury was one of the club’s best players across the JLT Series, gathering 60 possessions as the Pies eclipsed Fremantle and Carlton in the pre-season.
The five-time All-Australian said he had altered his training program over summer to include a new pilates and stretching regime to better support his back.
“These are the things that every player goes through; injuries that you hide behind the scenes because you don’t want everyone to know about it,” he said.
“It wasn’t ideal timing, though. I still thought I played some pretty good footy last year.
“But every week it was a little bit of a battle that I haven’t been used to in the past.”
Updates
Tayla Harris will speak to the media at 4.30pm EDT – watch it live here.
Meanwhile, Carlton teammate, gun forward and graphic designer – and Herald Sun columnist – Darcy Vescio has used the iconic photo of Harris to promote the Blues' preliminary final against Fremantle on Saturday. How good is this?
Watch live: Harris speaks after social media abuse
Watch live: Tayla Harris responds to trolls
Tayla Harris will speak to the media at 4.30pm EDT – watch it live here.
Meanwhile, Carlton teammate, gun forward and graphic designer – and Herald Sun columnist – Darcy Vescio has used the iconic photo of Harris to promote the Blues' preliminary final against Fremantle on Saturday. How good is this?
Wingard’s calf could delay Hawks debut
Sitting out their AFL opening round clash with Adelaide, Hawthorn’s star recruit Chad Wingard is no certainty to play in round two with his calf proving troublesome.
The former Port Adelaide forward battled calf tightness through the pre-season, before suffering a setback at training late last month.
The 25-year-old said there was no set time-frame for his return, with the Hawks to back up Saturday’s Adelaide Oval clash with a meeting against the Western Bulldogs in round two on Sunday week.
“There’s no end-date, it’s one of those things where you can’t really tell,” Wingard said at Kayo’s AFL season launch.
“I thought I was ready to play in JLT one and it happened – the same injury, same spot – so I will take it a little bit slower this time.
“Hopefully round two but I’ve just got to respect it because if I rush it and do it again it could be four or five weeks.” Despite the season-ending injury to Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell, Wingard didn’t expect – or want – to spend any extra time in the midfield, where he spent time through his seven seasons at Port.
“Clarko (Alastair Clarkson) recruited me as a forward,” he said. “At Port I was a bit of a mix and it was a bit frustrating at times playing a little bit of both as I couldn’t quite find the balance.
“I’ve been working pretty close with Clarko and from what I’ve been told that won’t change (with Tom out).
“We’ve got some midfielders in there who can really step up.” The dual All-Australian said his only disappointment in the move to the Hawks was that he missed the opportunity to play alongside game-breaker Cyril Rioli, who retired midway through the 2018 season.
“As soon as the trade went through I messaged him and tried to recruit him back because I’d love to play with him,” Wingard said.
Will Goldsack line up for Pies?
Jon Ralph, Herald Sun
Collingwood’s selection squeeze could push fan favourite Tyson Goldsack out of its back six to take on Geelong on Friday night.
Coach Nathan Buckley refused to confirm whether new additional Jordan Roughead would debut against the Pies but lauded his influence at the club.
But he indicated he was likely to be “rewarded” with a debut that only illustrates the depth of Collingwood’s backline.
FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/2TimITQ
Pies to name Elliott, De Goey
Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott and Jaiden Stephenson are set to light up Collingwood’s forward line as they open its season against Geelong on Friday night.
De Goey has overcome a foot injury and Stephenson a groin issue, while Elliott is set to play his first AFL game in more than a year.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said Elliott’s long battle with a hamstring injury had matured him, with the results shown in his big pre-season.
“He’s a little bit older, a little bit wiser, a little bit more mature and understanding and appreciative of the opportunities that come along, so I think he’s well placed mentally and emotionally to handle this next phase of his footy career, and physically he’s in great shape,” Buckley said.
Key defender Darcy Moore, whose 2018 season ended prematurely through a hamstring injury, would be another important inclusion for the MCG clash.
“He clearly would’ve been frustrated with the way last year went for him and the disappointment of not being able to put his hand up at the pointy end,” Buckley said.
“He’s really committed to improving himself as a footballer, getting himself as fit as he possibly can be, and ready to take that next step into the early rounds.”
Buckley said he’d also been impressed by the contribution of ex-Western Bulldog Jordan Roughead and hinted he could also have a role against Geelong.
– AAP
Carlton has confirmed No.1 draft pick Sam Walsh will play his first game against Richmond in tomorrow night's MCG blockbuster.
Walsh (pictured below at a media call this morning) will be joined by five more new Blues in a side that coach Brendon Bolton says will feature up to 13 changes to Carlton's team from Round 23 last year.
Former VFL star Michael Gibbons will play his first AFL game and he will be joined in Carlton colours for the first time by ex-Crow Mitch McGovern, former Giant Will Setterfield and former Swan Nic Newman.
The biggest surprise is former Magpie Alex Fasolo, who will play despite not featuring in either of Carlton's two JLT Series matches.
Fasolo broke his arm in a play fight with a friend at a boozy Australia Day party in January. He made an apology to fans in a video on the club website, saying he was "incredibly embarrassed and apologetic."
"Now I’m just really looking forward to getting back on the track, earning the trust of my teammates and the coaching staff and I really want to make sure I have a positive influence on this group and this club," Fasolo said.
He played 101 games and kicked 133 goals for Collingwood, including a career-high six against the Tigers in 2016.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has come out swinging in a combative press conference, hitting out at the media cynicism over star recruit Jesse Hogan's health.
The Dockers announced yesterday Hogan would not be selected for Sunday's Round 1 game against North Melbourne to deal with his clinical anxiety that can lead to him “making poor decisions around alcohol consumption”.
Hogan turned up to Sunday in an unfit state after he drinking with mates the night before to celebrate his imminent club debut.
Lyon said the media has to be respectful of what Hogan was going through.
"It's a wellbeing issue, it's a mental health issue … I'm not prepared to go into any more detail except to say it's really important that we respect that and we work through that recover our athlete to be back playing for the Dockers," Lyon said.
Lyon refused to answer a question about what was acceptable behaviour for players.
"I'm not denying anything but I'm not prepared to go into what the outcome of him not being well looks like in detail because it's not appropriate," he said.
"This has been an ongoing issue with Jesse in regards to working him and feeling well and handling his wellbeing issue.
"We're dealing with what we're dealing with and the facts are the facts.
"I can only be guided by our club doctors in this space. If you're more inclined to overrule our doctors and think you're more skilled in that area, I'm happy to hear that, but I'm telling you I'm not (skilled in dealing with mental health)."
Lyon defended the culture at the Dockers and the club's recruiting history.
Keen to direct the conversation towards Fremantle's Round 1 clash, Lyon reiterated: "We need to respect this is a mental health issue, this is a wellbeing issue and you probably need to back off a little bit."
Hogan out there training with the main group. @freodockers pic.twitter.com/s0bvW1YnbI
— Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) 20 March 2019
Lyon tells media to 'back off' Hogan
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has come out swinging in a combative press conference, hitting out at the media cynicism over star recruit Jesse Hogan's health.
The Dockers announced yesterday Hogan would not be selected for Sunday's Round 1 game against North Melbourne to deal with his clinical anxiety that can lead to him “making poor decisions around alcohol consumption”.
Hogan turned up to Sunday in an unfit state after he drinking with mates the night before to celebrate his imminent club debut.
Lyon said the media has to be respectful of what Hogan was going through.
"It's a wellbeing issue, it's a mental health issue … I'm not prepared to go into any more detail except to say it's really important that we respect that and we work through that recover our athlete to be back playing for the Dockers," Lyon said.
Lyon refused to answer a question about what was acceptable behaviour for players.
"I'm not denying anything but I'm not prepared to go into what the outcome of him not being well looks like in detail because it's not appropriate," he said.
"This has been an ongoing issue with Jesse in regards to working him and feeling well and handling his wellbeing issue.
"We're dealing with what we're dealing with and the facts are the facts.
"I can only be guided by our club doctors in this space. If you're more inclined to overrule our doctors and think you're more skilled in that area, I'm happy to hear that, but I'm telling you I'm not (skilled in dealing with mental health)."
Lyon defended the culture at the Dockers and the club's recruiting history.
Keen to direct the conversation towards Fremantle's Round 1 clash, Lyon reiterated: "We need to respect this is a mental health issue, this is a wellbeing issue and you probably need to back off a little bit."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsHogan out there training with the main group. @freodockers pic.twitter.com/s0bvW1YnbI
— Ryan Daniels (@FootyRhino) 20 March 2019
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