Patience a virtue as Henderson hits the track at top speed

LACHIE Henderson says he would not change a thing about his return to playing at AFL level, maintaining the time he spent in the VFL has been a big factor in helping him find his feet so quickly.

Henderson had three operations on his troublesome knee after Geelong’s exit from finals last year, ruling him out of preseason training and limiting his time on the track when the season was under way.

But while other players might have succumbed to the temptation to return to senior football earlier, Henderson was content to find form and fitness with the Cats in the VFL.

The 28-year-old finally felt comfortable to step up after five games and has been a rock in defence in his three AFL matches, and Henderson said he was satisfied the right decisions had been made throughout his rehab process.

“With everything that was going on it just made perfect sense to keep going (in the VFL),” he said.

“I had absolutely no preseason and with the short run of training I had before the last surgery I just knew I had to come in fully confident and knowing that I had done everything I could.

“So I had a good chat with Scotty and the coaches and the medicos, and made the decision to just get a good solid month of footy in so I came in without any doubts.

“I’ve been around the traps long enough to know what you need and how confident you need to be to play the level I wanted to play and my teammates and the coaches wanted me to play.

“So I think we did it the really smart way and while it would have been nice to come back earlier, it was smart from all aspects of the footy club to do it that way and get some good game time and come in with some good confidence and fitness and touch.”

Henderson is unsure if Geelong would have been as patient without the emergence of its young defenders, but said he was niggle free and over his knee issues.

“The body is feeling really good,” he said.

“I’ve got a few little bumps and cracks here and there but it is feeling as good as it has for a while so it is nice to be able to run around again.”