Brendan Fevola's OK despite crutches drama
Jon Ralph | March 18, 2009
BRENDAN Fevola is on crutches just eight days before Carlton's season opener against Richmond, but the club maintains he will play.
Fevola is one of the main drawcards for the blockbuster MCG clash against the Tigers and their new recruit Ben Cousins, which is expected to draw 80,000 fans next Thursday night.
The Blues spearhead bruised his heel in a marking collision against Fremantle in Bunbury on Saturday and was still on crutches at the club's private training session yesterday.
But Carlton manager Steven Icke said he had been cleared of any bone damage, and yesterday emphatically stated Fevola would be playing against the Tigers.
"We expect him to play in Round 1. He's protecting the heel. but the advice we have been given is that he will play Round 1, that he will be available for Round 1," Icke said yesterday.
He said there was nothing alarming about a player being on crutches only a week out from a game.
Doctors often require players to use protective moon boots or crutches to give their injured joints total rest.
Icke said Fevola was likely to hit the training track early next week.
"(The crutches) are just a way of keeping any sort of contact off the heel," he said.
"He will train this week, but he may not do work on the ground, he may do his work in the gym and the pool.
"We will basically keep him off his feet, and let the bruise come out, then we expect him to train fully next week."
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25203016-19742,00.html
