Clarence preparing for condensed 2020 TSL season without one of its most dynamic players
Clarence coach Jeromey Webberley is unsure whether one of the club’s stars will don the red and white again.
AFL
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ONE of the State League’s most dynamic players may have played the final match of his glittering career.
Attacking wingman Jake Cox has not been training with Clarence in preparation for the shortened 2020 season and coach Jeromey Webberley concedes he is planning on not having one of the club’s biggest X-factors at his disposal.
Cox joined the Roos in 2012 from arch rivals Glenorchy and has proven himself as one of the most dangerous and consistent players in the competition.
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Injuries have curtailed the 30-year-old in the past two seasons — last year he admitted a knee complaint which sidelined him for two months left him pondering his future — but the uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic as well as family and work commitments have left him unlikely to feature again in the red and white.
“At this stage he is not playing, just with the COVID stuff in place and a young family and those types of things, he is finding it pretty tough at the moment,” Webberley said.
“The door is always ajar for him, whether that’s in the next 12 weeks or next year, that is something he is going to have to weigh up with his family.
“He has had an outstanding career and if this is the end, we are incredibly grateful for what he has done for our club.
“We are extremely sad to see him go at this stage but unfortunately we are going to have to move on.
“Hopefully some things will change over the next few weeks and potentially he gets back or next year he comes back.
“But at this stage we are planning on not having him.”
The Roos have relocated to their new home for the season at Richmond, with Blundstone Arena unable to host football.
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