Kade Simpson says Charlie Curnow can overcome wretched injury run and deliver on potential for Carlton
He has had a wretched run with his injured knee, but Carlton’s Charlie Curnow can overcome it to show Blues fans the “best of Charlie” according to a Carlton veteran.
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Carlton veteran Kade Simpson is confident the Blues will see the best of forward Charlie Curnow in the years to come, describing him as a “freakish talent”.
Blues coach David Teague said earlier this month the team was preparing for the year ahead without the 23-year-old after his latest setback last month with his injured right knee.
Simpson had no doubt Curnow could deliver on his talents – he just needed a “bit of luck” to overcome his rotten recent run with injury.
“His knee will get better, it will just take time. Eventually I think we will see the best of Charlie,” Simpson said.
“He needs a bit of luck, he’s had some shocking bad luck.
“Hopefully with a bit of luck, there is no doubt he will make a return, we’ve just got to take some time with him now.
“I think once he is back, he’s a freakish talent and an extremely hard worker, there is no doubt that we will see the best of Charlie in the years to come.”
Curnow last year kicked 18 goals for the Blues before he suffered season-ending ligament damage in the Round 15 win over Fremantle last year – the start of a horror run for the young forward.
He dislocated his right patella while he was playing basketball with friends in October and then broke the same bone in November when he slipped on tiles while walking upstairs.
His latest setback in April came after surgery to remove screws from his knee revealed a stress response.
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Simpson said he had kept in touch with Curnow throughout the AFL shutdown
“He has had a few hiccups. I have spoken to him a few times over the break, but it was more to see how he is going mentally,” Simpson said.
“Not too concerned about his knee, just how he is going mentally and making sure he is all right.
“He obviously loves playing footy and that has been taken away from him the last six-12 months probably.”
Simpson was not pinning hope on Curnow making a return later in the year, saying it was important the Blues got his recovery right.
“It’s just a bit uncertain at the moment,” Simpson said.
“If we have another lay-off he could come in the back-half of the year. But I think with Charlie we just take our time with it and make sure that he is right to go whenever that might be.”