Holland eyes a return date | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Holland eyes a return date

julzqld

Do or do not - there is no try!
Dec 17, 2002
937
0
Palm Beach, Queensland
AAP
10:03:21 PM Fri 14 March, 2003



Richmond defender Ben Holland's comeback from a serious knee injury is on track, so much so the centre half-back has pencilled in the date of his AFL return.

But Holland won't say when - he's saving that as a reward after almost a year of hard work.


"I've got it in the back of my mind, I'm not going to tell you," he said.

"I don't want to make any predictions because people get upset if you don't make it or if you come back a little bit earlier they're rapt with it, so I've got a little goal."

Holland underwent a knee reconstruction after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Fremantle in round four last year.

His injury was made all the worse, he said, because he could not help his teammates get through a dismal season from his seat in the stands.

Holland began his recovery four weeks after his operation, firstly through boxing and weights and then, when his splint was removed, running and cycling.

Since Christmas his weeks have comprised swimming, two boxing sessions, three rides and four runs and he is now in full training, just sitting out the contact work.

Holland's first kicks looked and felt like nine-iron golf shots, but he said his progress was so good an early season return was likely.

"I was a little bit worried towards the end of last year that it wasn't coming on as well as I'd hoped and I did have to go in for another arthroscope to clean things up a little bit and to move it on and get rid of a bit of the swelling," he said.

"But since Christmas I've been able to do everything and it's not swelling after sessions and that's the thing I'm worried about because it means there's something wrong.

"So being able to come up day in, day out and do the sessions they're planning for me gives you a lot of confidence."

Holland has swallowed up every skerrick of information given to him by teammates Matthew Richardson, Duncan Kellaway and Marc Dragicevic - all former knee victims - and his oft-injured brother, Hawthorn forward Nick.

Holland said coach Danny Frawley had insisted he not rush his comeback because of Brad Ottens' surgery.

But Holland said he recognised the importance of Richmond's key position players returning to the fray.

"In every team you've got a core of five or six big men that the team revolves around - that's a big man's point of view isn't it? - so if one of them comes out one of us has to replace him and we've got to pick up the slack a little bit," he said.
 

diggler

The Tigers Spine
Dec 18, 2002
2,855
5
I say aim for the first week of november. Make sure Ben your nice and fit for the pre season draft. ;D