DYNAMIC midfielder/forward Colin Sylvia is on track for a big season, according to fitness manager Joel Hocking.
Sylvia is one of Melbourne’s early ‘flyers’ on the pre-season track, with Jack Grimes, Addam Maric and Jamie Bennell among the others to impress.
“Colin Sylvia is set to have another good year,” Hocking told melbournefc.com.au.
“He had a bit of an unlucky one last year. I think he was going really, really well, but a couple of odd injuries with a broken cheek and some issues with his toe.
“He’s set for a big one.”
Hocking said Maric had benefitted from entering the pre-season not having had post-season surgery.
“Addam Maric is going really, really well. He’s had two or three surgeries in the last few pre-seasons, so he’s probably having the best lead-in to a season he’s had so far,” he said.
“Jack Grimes - fingers crossed that his body can hold up, and we can get the work into him. Hopefully he can have another good year, and play a few more games.
“I reckon Jamie Bennell will have a ripper.”
Hocking said Neville Jetta and Luke Tapscott were also progressing strongly after injury setbacks late last season.
“Even some guys in our rehab group - like Neville Jetta, and Luke Tapscott, who is coming back from hip surgery - are going really, really well.”
Hocking said draftees Lucas Cook, Jeremy Howe, Troy Davis and Tom McDonald would be eased into the pre-season after just joining the club.
“Those guys will get a gradual introduction to every single facet of their program until Christmas,” he said.
“We’ll look to getting enough volume and strength into them for when they get back in January to actually start doing some more significant training with the players.”
With six new Demons set to join via the NAB AFL Rookie Draft on December 7, Hocking said it would be a challenge to get them up to speed - but one that was achievable.
“In essence, they will be six weeks behind every other player on our list, he said.
“Depending on how their bodies are and what shape they present themselves in - it does throw a little bit of a curveball at you late in the pre-season.
“But we’ll have to take that into account when we get them, and program their program accordingly.”
Sylvia is one of Melbourne’s early ‘flyers’ on the pre-season track, with Jack Grimes, Addam Maric and Jamie Bennell among the others to impress.
“Colin Sylvia is set to have another good year,” Hocking told melbournefc.com.au.
“He had a bit of an unlucky one last year. I think he was going really, really well, but a couple of odd injuries with a broken cheek and some issues with his toe.
“He’s set for a big one.”
Hocking said Maric had benefitted from entering the pre-season not having had post-season surgery.
“Addam Maric is going really, really well. He’s had two or three surgeries in the last few pre-seasons, so he’s probably having the best lead-in to a season he’s had so far,” he said.
“Jack Grimes - fingers crossed that his body can hold up, and we can get the work into him. Hopefully he can have another good year, and play a few more games.
“I reckon Jamie Bennell will have a ripper.”
Hocking said Neville Jetta and Luke Tapscott were also progressing strongly after injury setbacks late last season.
“Even some guys in our rehab group - like Neville Jetta, and Luke Tapscott, who is coming back from hip surgery - are going really, really well.”
Hocking said draftees Lucas Cook, Jeremy Howe, Troy Davis and Tom McDonald would be eased into the pre-season after just joining the club.
“Those guys will get a gradual introduction to every single facet of their program until Christmas,” he said.
“We’ll look to getting enough volume and strength into them for when they get back in January to actually start doing some more significant training with the players.”
With six new Demons set to join via the NAB AFL Rookie Draft on December 7, Hocking said it would be a challenge to get them up to speed - but one that was achievable.
“In essence, they will be six weeks behind every other player on our list, he said.
“Depending on how their bodies are and what shape they present themselves in - it does throw a little bit of a curveball at you late in the pre-season.
“But we’ll have to take that into account when we get them, and program their program accordingly.”
