CLEAN BREAK
Gregson good to go for pre-season comp First game in 20 months after chronic foot woes
EXCITING small forward Cory Gregson is on the verge of playing his first game of football in 20 months.
Gregson has declared himself ready to go for Geelong’s JLT Community Series games against Gold Coast and Essendon after overcoming a debilitating foot injury that had placed his promising career on indefinite hold.
Having so far stood up to the rigours of pre-season training, Gregson is keeping an eye on a potential berth for the Round 1 clash against Melbourne.
The 21-year-old, who earned a Rising Star nomination in his first season with the Cats three years ago, has been a standout at training in recent weeks as he ramps up his bid to play senior football again.
Asked if he would be ready and available come March 25 for the season opener, Gregson could not have been any more emphatic.
“Absolutely, I will definitely put my hand up for Round 1,” Gregson said.
“I’m scheduled to put my hand up for the JLT games, so whether or not I get picked is up to the coaches.
“But the body is feeling really good, I’m training OK, which is nice, and it feels pretty amazing to be one of the boys again and to actually train every session.”
Gregson has been earmarked for a high half-forward role that will see him push up to the wing when he can to expose opposition sides with his pace and endurance.
The South Australian was sorely missed at Geelong throughout 2017, with his injuries felt even harder given the extended absence of fellow forwards Lincoln McCarthy, Nakia Cockatoo and Brandan Parfitt.
But Gregson said despite the serious nature of his navicular injury and the troubled history of players who suffer the same problem, he always maintained belief he would return to football at the highest level.
“I always had faith in the physios and they were really good and confident with what they were doing, so that always made me very confident,” he said. “It was just very unlucky two or three times, but I always had faith I would be playing footy again.
“I’m just excited to play footy again, whether it’s in the VFL or AFL, and there is a really big position for me in the AFL team given the way the AFL is going, so hopefully if I get the chance, I can make it count.”
Gregson, whose 29 career games have netted 17 goals, comes out of contract at the end of the season.