Rebuilt Day has reason to hope
A CAREER that was in doubt is now one with cautious optimism for Gold Coast Suns swingman Sam Day.
Former Suns coach Rodney Eade questioned whether Day would ever be able to return from a freak hip injury sustained during a pre-season game against Brisbane Lions in February.
But nine months later Day is up and running and new senior coach Stuart Dew said his future was no longer in the air.
“That is not the case, he is tracking well,” Dew said of the respected 25-year-old.
“He will be modified, probably up until Christmas and then we will unleash him a little more in January and February. He is really confident in his body. He probably knows it better than anyone and he is really happy with how he is tracking.”
Day was the only senior figure at the opening day of preseason training for the club’s first to four year players.
Day dislocated hip while trying to gather a ball in Gold Coast’s first JLT Community Series game against Brisbane on February 19 at the Broadbeach Cats’ home ground, Merrimac Oval.
His leg went through the back of his hip and took a piece of bone off it in the process.
Day had surgery where two large screws were inserted to reattach the broken bone and he was unable to put any weight on the leg for two months.
Fitness won’t be an issue for the inaugural Sun – who is contracted until the end of 2019 – due to his high running load while his teammates enjoyed their off-season.
“He has been building his fitness. He had an early break and then came back. His program will be modified in terms of that high-end agility,” Dew admitted.
“That’s what we have to be wary of which drills we throw him in to. It will be a little bit more controlled than the other guys. It will be a gradual progression for him.”
Dew said the modern day individualised fitness programs of elite players gave them the best chance of returning from serious injuries, pointing to Hawthorn key forward Jarryd Roughead’s ability to come back from a ruptured achilles in 2012.
“It is a significant injury for a big fella,” Dew said.
“These days some of the big guys ... with programs they can make them really individualised and get them back to playing AFL footy. We are certainly confident of that.”
Dew said he was happy with how his first official day of coaching at the club went. “I was pleased,” Dew said. “The enthusiasm, the body language they are certainly hungry that is for sure.”