BLUES LINCHPIN EAGER TO HIT FIELD A GAIN

CARLTON defender Sam Docherty is confident of returning to football in a preseason match next year as he continues to make strong progress in his recovery from back-to-back knee reconstructions.

The Blues co-captain will fly out to the United States on Friday to work with Philadelphia-based sports injury specialist Bill Knowles before easing into pre-season training with teammates next month.

The luckless Docherty has not played since 2017, having ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in November 2017 and again in December 2018.

Docherty said he had approached this recovery a little differently under new Carlton fitness boss Andrew Russell and had also dropped weight.

“I’ve tried to trim back a bit of my upper body weight and I’m probably down about four or five kilos on what I was last time,” Docherty said.

“I feel really good. I’ve been running through the whole of the off-season, training as much as I can. I’m a bit lighter so I’m running probably a little bit better than I was. I’m really confident in what I’m doing and I’m really confident in the program we’ve got set moving forward to get me back playing footy.”

The AFL yesterday announced the fixture for the 2020 Marsh Community Series, with Docherty’s Carlton side granted a home game against Brisbane at Ikon Park on March 8.

“I’m pretty excited to get back and play at Ikon Park,” Docherty said. “To be honest I’m sick of training and running around the outside of it so being in the middle will be a lot more enjoyable.”

The pre-season fixture also sees St Kilda return to Moorabbin, the Saints set to open the series against Hawthorn at RSEA Park. Richmond will meet Greater Western Sydney in a 2019 Grand Final rematch in Wagga Wagga.

“We don’t often do that in the pre-season competition,” AFL general manager of broadcasting and fixture boss Travis Auld said.

“Early on we’ll get a quick taste of the Giants, who I think are pretty keen to play Richmond as soon as they can after their performance in the last game of the year.”

Auld said the league was putting the “finishing touches” on the men’s home-andaway season fixture, which is due for release on Thursday.