GAZZA’S BACK ON TRACK
Physio gives thumbs up for Ablett to resume training drills
GARY Ablett has already stepped up his recovery from a hamstring strain and will join his teammates in football drills later this week.
The champion midfielder injured a hamstring in the last quarter of the 15-point loss to West Coast in Perth in Round 3 — just 11 days ago — after a six-day break following the Easter Monday clash with Hawthorn.
It was the second hamstring strain Ablett had suffered in two months — the first happening during a training drill in February.
Geelong Football Club physio Mark Young told the Cats’ website that Ablett had resumed running and was progressing well.
“Gary is going well,” Young said. “He ran again today, his running sessions have been completed pretty well.
“He will join in football later this week and from there he shouldn’t be too far away.”
Ablett played 49 out of a possible 88 games in his last four years at Gold Coast but had enjoyed a relatively uninterrupted pre-season at the Cats until the first hamstring strain just weeks out from the JLT Community Series.
The 33-year-old told reporters last Tuesday that he expected to miss “at least a few weeks” with the injury but would not rush his comeback.
“I will do everything I can to rehab the injury and get back out there,” Ablett said.
“Obviously it is disappointing to miss playing the next few games with the team, but it is a long season and we are all positive that this will be a minor setback.”
Geelong is still no clearer on a return date for Nakia Cockatoo (knee) or Harry Taylor (foot), but small forwards Lincoln McCarthy and Quinton Narkle are both close to resuming.
The duo is in full training with McCarthy, who has not played since Round 3 last year, eyeing a return via the VFL in the next few weeks.