HICKEY ON TRACK FOR COMEBACK
GEELONG AFLW captain Mel Hickey will sit out tomorrow’s practice match against Carlton, but is a certain starter for the Cats’ Round 1 clash in a fortnight.
The Cats will play Carlton at Ikon Park tomorrow in their only hitout before they open the season, against Collingwood, at GMHBA Stadium on February 2.
Marquee signing Hickey, who required a knee reconstruction after injuring her anterior cruciate ligament last season playing for Melbourne, is back in full contact training but will be held back for the season proper. “I was never going to play in the practice game, that was always part of the plan, just to give me another two weeks’ extra,” Hickey said yesterday.
“But everything is on track. I’m feeling really confident in it, I’ve taken tackles, I’ve given tackles. I’m not trying to think too much about it, to be honest.
“I’ve done all the work, and it’s such a long rehab, and you hope you’ve done enough to make sure it’s good to go.”
Hickey tore her ACL in March, a cruel blow after a successful move into a midfield role as a key part of the Demon engine room.
No.1 draft pick Nina Morrison will play, with the Cats likely to use the Geelong Falcons graduate off a wing and as well as pinch-hitting in the midfield.
But Cats’ No.2 selection, Sophie Van de Heuvel, will miss with a hamstring injury.
“It should be really good, I’m really keen,” Morrison said.
“It will be good to see how we compare to another side. Obviously during pre-season you can think you’re training well, but in reality you don’t really know where you sit compared to another side.”