Cockatoo back running after knee surgery
EXCITING Geelong midfielder Nakia Cockatoo is back running but is not expected to be in full training until closer to Christmas.
The 21-year-old is recovering from knee surgery, having gone under the knife after limping off injured in a VFL game in July.
Cockatoo injured the same knee in the Round 3 loss to West Coast in Perth.
But the electric forward said he was confident he was over his injury woes, with the Cats desperate to see him consistently produce the form he has shown in patches over recent injury-ravaged years.
“(I’ve been on) my third run so it’s looking pretty good at the moment. I’m still a bit stiff, coming off surgery which was three months ago now,” Cockatoo said.
“Everything is coming along pretty well. I am back in the gym, doing the strength work.”
Cockatoo is one of Gee- long’s most dynamic players when he is fit, however he has barely been able to get on the park.
Since being taken with the Cats’ first pick in the 2014 draft, Cockatoo has only managed 34 games with hamstring issues also keeping him sidelined for a sustained period of time.
Cockatoo is hopeful of getting an injury-free run at 2019, eyeing off a return to full training before the club breaks for Christmas.
“I will have a break this month for about three weeks, but I have been training for about two months,” Cockatoo said.
“At the start it was a bit slow, but now its picked up with the running and a bit more gym work with the lower body.
“I hope (to be back first week of pre-season). I won’t be quite training, but hopefully before Christmas I can get in a few sessions and then hopefully after that I will be in full training.
“That’s the plan anyway.”