News

Prismall takes step forward

Sunday, 14 December 2008
Staff writers for essendonfc.com.au
Page 1 of 1

Essendon recruit Brent Prismall has commenced light running - a significant step forward in his rehabilitation from a knee injury. It was an important milestone for Prismall with the Bombers still hopeful he will be available for selection sometime in the first half of next season.

“It is an important step simply because he can feel like he is making progress,” Essendon assistant coach Gary O’Donnell said. “Recovering from significant injuries can be a slog and each small thing you can tick off along the way gives him a lift, and everyone around him.”

“There is that added element for Brent in that he is at a new club and he is very keen to get out amongst the group and be a part of it. That will frustrate him but it is important we follow the medical advice and get him right for the long-term.

“We have noticed Brent is extremely diligent when it comes to his rehab. He has been doing static skills with a real intensity and purpose and taking others with him. We think that is a really good sign.”

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O’Donnell made the following observations on other players returning for pre-season training:

Courtenay Dempsey: “Courtenay is on a modified training load. We are trying to get him fit without putting too much strain on his body at this stage of the pre-season. He is a doing a lot of non-weight bearing fitness work.”

Alwyn Davey: “Alwyn has been very impressive to this stage. He has been doing straight-line running at 100% and he doesn’t seem to have lost any speed. He is yet to do off-the-line running at full tilt – he will have some more conditioning work before all of that but at this stage the signs are good.”

Darcy Daniher: “He is still recovering from a back injury – this can be a slow process but he is young so we aren’t pushing him too hard at the moment. His program is being built up around static skills and non-weight bearing fitness work. It will be slow build up.”

Scott Gumbleton: “He is doing everything at the moment – looking and feeling good. He is doing all the running and conditioning. He is coping with everything that has been asked of him. A 15.2 beep test – which he did recently - is an exceptional result for a big player. We all hope his bad luck is behind him.”

Jay Neagle: “He is going through a similar build up to Dempsey. Slow and steady and doing some extra work to ensure his fitness is improving. Like Gumbleton we just hope he has some luck – he could be an important player for us this year.”

Andrew Lovett: “He is training with real intensity. He has been that way consistently throughout the two months of pre-season training. He trains at full pace and is giving himself every opportunity – he is letting everyone know he wants to be a part of it this season and the players are respecting that.”

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The team head to Coffs Harbour for a week-long training camp next Wednesday.

PLAYER PROFILE: Brent Prismall
PLAYER PROFILE: Andrew Lovett
PLAYER PROFILE: Scott Gumbleton

Your comments

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Great to hear all round, let's hope Gumby & Co can make a contribution all season, we are a proud club, Top 8 hopefuly a starting point!!!!!

- Michael Affleck (posted 11/12/2008 10:01:41 PM)

All great news. It would be good if Prismall could make it back in the first half of the season, but I hope they don't rush him back. I would rather have him for all of 2010 than half of 2009 and half of 2010 because the injury was irritated. It will also be good to get players such as Davey back, we missed his forward pressure last season.

- Benjamin Fullerton (posted 11/12/2008 10:04:28 PM)

We will be better next year,if we have a full side on the ground,who knows what can happen?We ,the supporters have to be patient.These are good times...rebuilding

- William Owen (posted 12/12/2008 10:55:07 AM)

go andy show us your true talent and skill. we all know that you can light the field up, so lets make 09 the yr that everybody took notice of what u can do and give the number 13 the honour it deserves!

- Mary Agius (posted 12/12/2008 11:26:33 AM)

how about this, rest prismall and get him right, get Cousins in our midfield from round 1, by the time the finals come around they sould both be cherry ripe.

- russ hillier (posted 12/12/2008 12:02:33 PM)

Wow the thought of Lovett in the best shape of his career is scary. Maybe he will be able to run it from full back next year instead of just half back

- Jeremy Mortimer (posted 12/12/2008 12:56:05 PM)

All sounds very positive, we did suffer from long term injuries last season, significantly shortening our selection list towards seasons end and that makes it a hard ask for those who avoid injury. Maybe in 2009 the physical conditioning, courtesy of our new team, will help in that regard.

- Michael Rance (posted 12/12/2008 1:04:46 PM)

great to see Gumby,Neagle,Dempsey and co up and running and Davey fit and back giving defenders nightmares i'm sure Prismall wont be rushed but would'nt be great to have him fit for round 10

- Simon Mayo (posted 12/12/2008 2:24:16 PM)

Sounds like we're looking the goods for 09! I can't wait- Go Dons!

- Cam Marshall (posted 12/12/2008 3:36:02 PM)

a lot of talk is about getting cousins and i agree we lost a lot when hirdy retired and the boys battled hard this year but a bit more experience . the modern game is won and lost in the midfield .

- Tim Devlin (posted 12/12/2008 5:26:29 PM)

Be patient Brent you will get you're chance and I'm very positive you will be a bombers champion of the future. Good on you Andy, you're dedication is fantastic. You have the X factor when youre starring on. Just keep the same dedication off the field as well. You know where your passion lies, don't make a fool of yourself again. We need you.

- Adrian Reynolds (posted 12/12/2008 5:30:55 PM)

Go Dons 2009 - If we don't make the finals then it will be a disappointing season. We need to have an injury free year and have our best side on the park every week!

- Andrew Cichello (posted 12/12/2008 6:30:32 PM)

would love it if we could do a 93 next year

- Matthew Holloway (posted 12/12/2008 10:40:14 PM)

awesome cant wait for the season to start. but we should get cousins

- Brad Yates (posted 13/12/2008 11:18:38 AM)

Beware other football teams. We dont need Ben Cousins we have already got a hot super fit midfield. With Davey Jetta Welsh Spike Waston Monfries The hard fast runners off half back Licka Myres Pears Ryder AND HURLEY,The forward line a new look they want no what hit and its going to hard too Go BOMBERS I CANT WAIT TILL 2009.

- amanda castro (posted 13/12/2008 1:17:39 PM)

hangin out to see the the mighty mombers in full flight in "09" report sounding great,we should think hard about getting Cousins on board befour sheeds nabs him for richmond,everybody should get a second chance and he could be a real asset for the club!GO BOMBERS!!!!

- Jarrod Jones (posted 13/12/2008 9:29:33 PM)

i hear we are thinking of getting skipworth ,why take the chance on a bloke who has had 2 knee ops . Its either cousins or de boar . De boar will be a gun in a couple of years

- john curliss (posted 14/12/2008 5:34:38 AM)

please do not do the predictable and draft Skipworth..... nothing to be gained at all.... no more hacks from other clubs pleaseeeeeeeeeeee.... Cousins is not a hack .. he is a potential excitement machine ...pls draft him

- Wally Mayski (posted 15/12/2008 2:27:49 AM)

I agree with everyone else here! Our mid-feild is dreaful! But we can fix it... Grab Ben Cousins, build a mid-field around him in the next 3 to 5 years, and this shouldn't be a problem by the time we are a premiership chance. DO IT ESSENDON! DO IT!! - Picking up Skipworth over him is foolish!... use your chance before Richmond does! PLEASE!

- Jason Allen (posted 15/12/2008 3:48:32 AM)

everyone relax. essendon will NOT be drafting ben cousins. the board has made it crystal clear that they will not be heading down that direction, so get over it. i agree with not drafting skipworth. two knee reco's and two years out of the game is TOO big a risk. pick up a young gun. and jason allen our midfield is not dreadful...give it 2-3yrs and it will be one of the best in the league..guareente it!!

- Christopher Domjanic (posted 15/12/2008 2:31:23 PM)

we'll see tomorrow I'll be very surprised if Benny comes to windy hill if richmond want him will have to use pick six apparantly this wont happen my guess is we get someone 22-24

- Simon Mayo (posted 15/12/2008 3:45:36 PM)

Wow, still talking Cousins... Ahh well, back to the article on our blokes and rehab. All sounds terrific with the boys mentioned, however I still shudder when I think of all the injuries we sustained in a rush this season, and simply ask Santa to bring us some LUCK for the coming year!

- Dennis Green (posted 16/12/2008 9:41:35 AM)

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