SETBACK AFTER SETBACK: A BRIEF LOOK AT NAKIA COCKATOO’S LONG LIST OF INJURIES

2014

Stress fractures in his right foot restrict him to playing one match in his draft year and slipped to pick 10.

2015

Adductor issues keep him to 11 games in his first season at the Cats

2016 Pre-season

Receives a two-match suspension against Fremantle, misses Geelong’s first two matches

Round 7

Injures knee against West Coast. Does not play at AFL level until Round 16

2017 March

Injures thumb, misses two games

Round 9

Pings hamstring in first half against Western Bulldogs. Misses a week.

Round 13

Starts well against West Coast before injuring hamstring early in the game, misses Rounds 14-18

Round 19

Returns against Carlton and does hammy late in the game. Returns for prelim final

2018 December, 2017

Asked if there was a confidence in Cockatoo’s body for 2018, coach Chris Scott was matter of fact. “The really honest answer is I don’t have great confidence. It’s an unknown,” Scott said at the AGM.

Late pre-season

Minor calf strain, misses both JLT Community Series games

Round 3

Suffers PCL knee injury against West Coast

July

Scheduled VFL comeback delayed in back-to-back weeks by illness

Sunday

Suffers fresh knee injury in first game back on the same leg he injured in Round 3