Go easy on our Gazza: Chappy
PAUL Chapman has urged Geelong to “play smart” with Gary Ablett by lessening his playing loads in the midfield.
Chapman, a dual premiership teammate of Ablett in 2007-2009, admitted to surprise at the amount of time Ablett has spent around the ball in the opening three rounds.
“In particular the Hawthorn game in Round 2 when he spent 91 per cent of game time on the ball. Obviously he’s had a great pre-season so he’s got the load into his legs but they have to play him smarter,” said Chapman, 36.
“He can’t be playing 91 per cent of game time in the midfield when he’s about to turn 34. It was better against West Coast when he seemed to play off the back of the square at times, but Gaz is someone who wants to be in the action so they have to protect him from himself.
“The scary thing for me is when Gaz got injured and did his shoulder, he carried it for two years and he isn’t a player who handles playing under duress.
“So what’s he going to be like when he comes back from his hamstring injury?
“The worst thing you can do is play with fear that you will do a hamstring when you try and take the game on by bursting out of a pack.
“I’ve been there and it’s not a good feeling, but it’s human nature to protect yourself a little bit. It’s definitely a worry.”
Respected long-time sports medico Peter Larkins believes 13-14 good games out of Ablett in 2018 was always going to be a bonus for Geelong.
“If you look at the data, with older players and soft tissue injuries, the graph rises after 25 years of age,” Dr Larkins said.
“In pre-season I said he was one calf away from not playing Round 1. OK, it was a hamstring, but the odds were high that at his age either a calf or hamstring would catch up with him.”
Nathan Buckley had never had hamstring troubles in his life until he turned 34-35 in his final season of 2007 and could only play five games for the year.
And recovery is slower once you are over 25, he said.
“Geelong is well known for not rushing players back too quickly and will be conservative with Gary,” Buckley said.
“If his injury is better than a three-week return, then I will be surprised. Because if he does it again when he comes back, then it becomes a six-eight week injury.”