Essendon coach Brad Scott says he’ll proceed to take a “flat no” strategy with Sam Draper till the ruckman has absolutely recovered from his hip niggle.
Draper missed Saturday night time’s 32-point loss to Fremantle in Perth with the harm, and he is no assure to return for subsequent week’s conflict with Port Adelaide on the MCG.
In Draper’s absence, Andrew Phillips and Nick Bryan battled manfully towards Sean Darcy within the ruck, however the Dockers ended up scoring eight targets from stoppages in what proved to be the essential facet of the sport.
A totally match Draper can be an important enhance to Essendon’s finals hopes, however Scott is not going to hurry the 24-year-old again till he is prepared.
“It’s a really hard one because we don’t have a time frame on it,” Scott mentioned.
“It’s not long term. It’s mostly me on this one, because it’s not like he couldn’t play.
“But he’d be combating it. And at spherical 15, are we simply going to have him progressively kind of fall off the cliff slowly over the course of the 12 months?
“The medical staff said, ‘look, we can push him and he can play’.
“And I’m saying, ‘we’re not doing that’.
“So we just want to get him right. And if that takes one week, fantastic. If it takes longer than that, we’ll just assess it week by week.”
When requested if Draper would miss the Port conflict, Scott replied: “These things can turn around really quickly. So I’m just guided by the medical staff.
“But what I will not put up with is, ‘look, he can get on the market however he will not be at his finest’.
“It’s just a flat no, and that’s been our philosophy all year.”
Defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher can be doubtful to face the Power after struggling adductor tightness towards Fremantle.
Zerk-Thatcher was left dazed within the third quarter after being by accident cleaned up by a teammate, but it surely was solely when he returned within the closing time period that his adductor flared.
Saturday’s 14.9 (93) to 9.7 (61) defeat to Fremantle snapped Essendon’s four-match successful run and denied the Bombers (8-6) the prospect to leap to equal fourth.
Essendon’s loss meant that groups coming off the bye this season have now compiled a collective 1-8 report of their first sport again.
Only St Kilda have posted a win straight after a bye to this point this season, and that got here towards a Sydney outfit who additionally had a bye the earlier week.
“You think you’d have the physical preparation but there’s something to be said for continuity,” Scott replied when requested about groups struggling after the bye.
“And, you know, there’s also something to be said for randomness.
“If you need bizarre, I imply how does a crew that is fifteenth on the ladder (Sydney) kick over 200 factors in a sport?”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
