Collingwood VFL , Paul Medhurst on run, but Ben down

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

How good is it when the senior team is doing really well , and we have such good depth in the reserves who will be pushing for senior selection in the coming weeks.


Paul Medhurst on run, but Ben down

Sam Edmund | March 07, 2009 12:00am

COLLINGWOOD star Paul Medhurst has played his first game for the year, easing through a VFL practice match against North Melbourne yesterday.
The All-Australian forward, who has been troubled by foot stress fractures during the pre-season, played about 70 per cent of the game at Gosch's Paddock.

Medhurst spent most of his time in the midfield to get some run in the legs, moved well and was regularly rotated through the interchange.

The news wasn't as good for teammate Ben Johnson, who suffered a shoulder injury.

The rebounding defender lasted barely five minutes before a solid hit in the middle of the ground had him clutching his left shoulder.

He was taken from the ground and had ice strapped to his shoulder, but the injury did not appear too serious.

The match, predominantly a VFL hit-out, included several AFL-listed players from both sides.

Sharrod Wellingham was lively through the middle of the ground for the Pies before, he too, was taken off late as a precaution with a shoulder problem.

Brad Dick showed some encouraging signs in his first game back from a knee reconstruction and was sharp near goal.

Chris Dawes threw his weight around up forward, while Danny Stanley got plenty of it and draftees Jarrad Blight and Luke Rounds got a taste.

Rookies Toby Thoolen, Lachlan Keeffe and Johnny Bennell were not out of their depth.

Bennell, in particular, was exciting. The 179cm goalsneak even showed off his massive leap while contesting a centre bounce.

Key forward Sean Rusling is still a week away as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained early last season.

For North Melbourne, regular senior contributors Daniel Harris, Aaron Edwards and Corey Jones got some match practice.

Harris was busy at the stoppages and Jones kicked a bag up forward.

Draft pick Sam Wright had a run, while speedy rookie Cruize Garlett underlined his prospects for a possible mid-year elevation with an excellent display.

Robbie Tarrant's shoulder again kept him out of action, but he acted as a runner for the Roos.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

[jack_spain]

Thanks for passing on that report. I suspect with what we saw last night from the youngsters, especially Sidebottom and Beams, that Ben Johnson's days are numbered.

Can't wait for Medhurst to come back. And then there's Rocca, Rusling and Dawes (if he wants it badly enough).

BTW with our depth, there's no reason why we couldn't win the VFL this year either.

[Dave The Man]

Did anyone here go?

[DaVe86]

who won?

[jack_spain]

^ It's a good problem to have for us though isn't it Greg.

That's why I hope our VFL team really fires this year. It will keep pressure on our firsts.

[swoop42]

Johnson played well the first week against an eagles side filled with rookie players but was back to his old ways against the tiges where he butchered the ball. No longer a place in the side for someone with that kind of disposal for mine, especially when you've got players like Sidebottom and Beams waiting in the wings.

Beams and Sidebottoms skills already look much better to me.