Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy will launch into pre-season training next week
AFTER recovering from an ACL injury, Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy is itching to attack the club’s pre-season, starting on Monday week.
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BOB Murphy will be unleashed into the Western Bulldogs’ pre-season next week as he makes his return from an ACL rupture.
The Bulldogs captain endured an emotional season on the sidelines as his side made a rollicking run all the way to the premiership.
Murphy found himself on the dais with a premiership medal from coach Luke Beveridge - since returned - but now he wants one of his own.
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Dogs head of football Chris Grant said Murphy was itching to attack the pre-season starting on Monday week.
He is in awesome shape and given his injury occurred in Round 3 - on April 10 - he will have very few restrictions in the pre-season.
The Dogs have no plans to hold him back in the pre-season competition, with the return of the Dogs emotional heartbeat one of the season’s most compelling narratives.
“He is already training. We start officially on the fifth and he will be ready to go with most of the stuff,’’ Grant told the Sunday Herald Sun.
“He will be well and truly ready to go because he did it so early. As he says he feels so good but he isn’t allowed to do the stuff he wants to do.”
Dogs insiders say Murphy is months ahead of schedule for the conventional return despite turning 34 last June.
Grant says the Dogs players couldn’t wait to get into full training with their much-loved skipper.
“They are really looking forward to it. For him it’s been a long six months and for them they can’t wait for him to be a part of it again,’’ he said.
“He doesn’t have it hanging over his head again so he is just part of that group again.”
The Dogs will ease in Easton Wood (ankle reconstruction) and Tom Boyd (shoulder reconstruction) with Mitch Wallis (broken leg) and Jack Redpath (ACL) due back later next year.
But for a premiership side, they are in relatively good shape injury-wise.
“Redpath did his late but everyone else will be there. Our pre-Christmas (training period) is pretty short this year which is a nice problem to have but post-Christmas most of them will be ready to go.”
Last pre-season coach Luke Beveridge put his players through a forensic four-hour breakdown of their elimination final loss.
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Grant said the players’ memories of their most recent finals hit-out might be more joyous this time.
“I don’t think it will be required this year, they will have already watched it a few times themselves. I actually haven’t asked Bevo if he is planning to do it but I don’t think he is, there is no need. They have already got out of it what they wanted.”
Originally published as Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy will launch into pre-season training next week
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