HARD ‘SEL’

Cats skipper ‘loading’ ankle for finals return

GEELONG champion Joel Selwood remains in a “loading” phase on his ankle, but is yet to receive the all-clear to return to training, according to football manager Steve Hocking.

The Cats skipper is yet to meet surgeon David Young — contrary to reports Young had approved a return to full training — but remains on target for next week’s qualifying final against Richmond.

Selwood is running and will continue to put miles into his ankle, but Hocking last night said a return to the main group had not been ticked off.

“He hasn’t seen the surgeon. Joel is following a program specific to Joel,” he said.

“He’s just on a specific program that is not related to what the main group is doing.

“He’s just loading his ankle at this point in time. He’s exactly where he should be at this time.”

Selwood told Channel 9 his progress had not changed.

“I’m going well but nothing new — I’m just looking forward to getting the first final in,” he said.

Selwood will have to defy medical history to return within six weeks from the syndesmosis injury suffered in Round 20 against Sydney.

Nakia Cockatoo also remains on a modified training program as he aims to overcome a hamstring strain.

“He’s going OK. We’re happy where he’s at, the medical staff are happy with the progress,” Hocking said.

“There’s no timeline on him, but he’s going well.”

He said James Parsons’s medial ligament sprain in his ankle was a better result than first expected.

“It could have been far worse but we’re really pleased for him that there was no significant bone damage,” he said.

“He won’t be loaded this week and he’ll start to be loaded next week, so he’s in play (for Richmond).”

Hocking said the Cats would not be making any “extreme” changes to training over the bye weekend.

“We’ve got a training plan that’s in place; the guys will certainly train on the weekend and part of that will be match simulation and other parts will be a range of drills the coaches come up with,” he said.

“They’ve got some down time but they’ve been in today, they’ll be in tomorrow, they’re back in Thursday, they have Friday off, they’ll train Saturday and they’re back in Monday.

“It’s just a normal build; there’s no extreme difference from anything we’ve done.”