AFL throws out Murdoch rough conduct charge
LUCKLESS Geelong midfielder Nakia Cockatoo says he hopes to be playing football by the end of the month.
Cockatoo suffered a PCL injury to his left knee in the 15point loss to West Coast in Round 3 and has started light running drills at training in recent days.
The 21-year-old has had no issues putting weight on his leg in the gym and has maintained his conditioning, meaning his comeback should be unhindered provided there are no unforeseen mishaps on the track.
Cockatoo said he expected to be out of his knee brace for good this week and would increase his workload in a bid to earn his spot back in Geelong’s team.
“It’s coming along really well and I’ve been three weeks in the brace now but I’ve started to do a little bit of running and I’ve been doing weights on it so strengthwise it’s pretty good, I’ve just got to get out of the brace and (start) doing a bit more,” Cockatoo said.
“Next week I’ll start to do a little bit more change of direction and agility stuff, then the week after I might do some part training and then full training.
“But I’ve been able to work on my legs still within the gym so I don’t think I’ve lost too much of my strength. I’ve been looking after myself just trying to do everything I can so when I come GEELONG coach Chris Scott’s displeasure at Jordan Murdoch’s game-day report was vindicated yesterday when AFL match review officer Michael Christian threw the charge out.
Scott called for umpires to be relieved of the burden of making reports during games after Murdoch went into the book for rough conduct over seemingly incidental high contact with Sydney’s Isaac Heeney.
“After viewing all available footage and speaking to the umpire who laid the report, it was the view of the match review officer that Murdoch was contesting the ball and had no realistic alternative way to contest the ball,” a statement on the AFL’s match review findings released yesterday read.
Christian laid 16 charges from round six incidents, with Essendon’s Matthew Leuenberger and Brisbane’s Nick Robertson offered one-game bans and 14 players offered fines. Robertson was charged with striking Greater Western Sydney’s Harry Himmelberg during the Lions’ loss at Spotless Stadium.
Leuenberger was charged with striking Melbourne’s Max Gawn during the Bombers’ loss to the Demons.
Both incidents were assessed as intentional conduct with low impact to the head. West Coast’s Chris Masten was involved in an altercation with Fremantle’s Ed Langdon, but escaped with a fine.