Jack on track for big date with Gaz
MELBOURNE co-captain Jack Viney is on track to help shut down the might of Geelong’s superstar midfield in the Demons’ blockbuster seasonopener.
The hard-nut midfielder was struck down by twin foot injuries last season and was again on light duties as the Demons resumed training after the Christmas break yesterday.
Aggressive forward Tom Bugg took out the first 2km time trial at Gosch’s Paddock, followed by hard-running swingman Tom McDonald and promising forward-midfielder Alex Neal-Bullen.
Viney, 23, is the Dees’ biggest injury concern leading into the regular season, with star key forward Jesse Hogan making a full recovery from his cancer scare last year.
But Melbourne is confident Viney will be fit to join main training early next month and to take on the Cats on March 25 at the MCG.
The inspirational midfielder and 2016 best and fairest will almost certainly play a key role on one of the Cats’ brilliant midfielders, including returning superstar Gary Ablett. It will be Viney’s first meeting with Ablett since pummelling the former Gold Coast captain’s sore shoulder in a torrid tagging role early in 2016.
Ablett, 33, has shrugged off the hamstring tendinitis concerns which hampered him in the back half of his final season at Gold Coast last year and is also eyeing a Round 1 return against Melbourne.
The Cats are determined to unleash Ablett in a midfield role, allowing superstar teammate and Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield to spend more time in attack.
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said the Dees had been careful pre-Christmas not to put Viney at risk of suffering a reoccurrence.
They could also keep him in cotton wool for the bulk of their JLT preseason games against North Melbourne on February 24 and St Kilda on March 8. He will not play in the AFLX tournament on February 16 at Etihad Stadium.
“Jack has obviously been a little bit slow. We have been a bit conservative with his foot and making sure that is right,” Goodwin told the club website.
“He is starting to run now and he will build up through January and get a really good block of training in leading into the season, so we are really confident with where he is at.”
After carrying the foot injury for the bulk of last season, Viney had surgery to release his plantar fascia after the Round 15 loss to Sydney.
He returned for four games but suffered a setback in the Round 21 win over St Kilda, ending his season.
The Dees are confident there will be no lingering effects for one of their most important players, who will help form a formidable midfield combination alongside ruckman Max Gawn and onballer Clayton Oliver next season. Goal kicker Christian Petracca is also slated to play more midfield time as Melbourne attempts to make the finals for the first time in 11 years.
JACK HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A LITTLE BIT SLOW. WE HAVE BEEN A BIT CONSERVATIVE WITH HIS FOOT AND MAKING SURE THAT IS RIGHT SIMON GOODWIN