I’ve broken ribs three times. If there’s floating bone then they’ll act as it can move around and puncture your lung. Otherwise you’re spot on - it’s just a waiting game.

First time I broke three ribs hiking up in the Little Yarra Valley. Outside of a broken jaw and the loss of my first great love it’s the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.

Dermot Brereton played nearly a whole grand final with two broken ribs and a bruised kidney thanks to Mark Yeates but that’s not the recommended treatment protocol. I’ve never felt completely right until 5-6 weeks has passed.

The idea that I could have run out and played a heavy duty contact sport running into 100kg monsters in less than three weeks insane.

It’s 17 days to the Swans game.

24 days to The Tiges.

We have a Bye after that so the Dees on the 29th of March would be six weeks and a day.

We’re not winning the flag this year.

He’s our most irreplaceable player.

Let’s get him right.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

Well said GWS - I’ve had my share of ops as a result of sport…..and yet nothing beats the pain of fractured ribs. Forget the 100kg footballer crashing into him….poor bloke will have a challenge sneezing, laughing, sleeping…..even having a good old dump will be painful!!!

Bring on the demons!

Spose it depends if it's just a little crack or full plumbers.

Get him right for what?

If we’re not winning the flag, what are we getting him right for?

Get him out there. Let’s have some flower fortitude.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Exactly. It’s a fracture. Consider the rib partially healed with another 19 days before Swans game for it to mend.

Sure it will be tender all week, and going for a dump will make him grimace without pain killers, but he will be running next week given it’s a only a fracture.

Let’s get real. It’s not a 6 week injury for Weiters.

7 days to settle is plenty.
14 days and back running for a week.
19 days, a minor jab, or a Panadol Forte, some padding and he’s playing imo.

Weiters is 100 times tougher than us posters.
He is not soft.
Like all of us who’ve had a rib fracture, he’ll be back at work in a week.
He’s also completed a full preseason without a hiccup.

Consider he will be receiving the very best treatment, daily.
He will be eating sardines whole like Top Cat, for calcium and spinach. for the Popeye effect.

Crippa played with a fractured rib with ridiculous mattress under his jumper, a week after his injury.
Even I played after 13 days off with a fractured rib, and I’m a whimp.
Weiters is as tough and as strong as Crippa: mentally and physically.
Believe it he is a beast, and has a high threshold for pain.

After Swans game, he can have another 23 days before rest before Demons game.

My bet, Weiters will play Round zero, because he can.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Re Marty Carroll
He did not tear his hamstrung in the intra club praccy game.
He was kept out of the game for precautionary reasons.
He had hamstring awareness, and was running a couple days after.

Fast forward 7 days and Carroll is fine, and has another 19 days to strengthen and stretch hammy, and will be available for Round Zero. Doubt he’ll play praccy tomorrow v Brizzy, but we will see.
Should be right for Cats praccy in 8 days on 25th Feb: 7 days before Swans game.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Hopefully Newman plays praccy tomorrow. If he does front up for his first game sim, let’s see if he plays 4 x 20 minute quarters.

He’s a seasoned campaigner and been jogging for a month. He was also another with hammy awareness not a tear.

I trust McInnes.

As for Newman’s son Moo Cowan, one has had any news on him other than he’s got a calf injury but has been seen in the gym exercising. He’s another wait and see.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

With 19 days before Swans game it’s safe to say Motlop, HOF, and Cottrell are definite outs, and because Hanes is 35yo his recovery time is an unknown and has been declared unfit for Swans game.

If Carroll is cleared to play and Elijah reinstated on list, I can’t see us rushing back Newman and Cowan, but given first game is vs Swans, Newman may have a different opinion on that. He always plays his best game of the season vs his old team.

Would be great to have experienced, seasoned players Hewett, Hayward, Florent and Newman all play against Swans.

Rubbing hands.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Oh yeah, shouldn’t forget Frank the Tank is back training with full contact, wearing protective goggles after the poke in the eye 3 weeks ago, and he’s looking like he hasn’t missed a beat.

He was the form player during our last month of 2025.

So glad to be back for season 2026, despite having my body clock being all over the joint.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I'm predicting Weiters will miss with dumping awareness.

Sent from my moto g54 5G using Tapatalk

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#DonTheStash

I read that as dumpling awareness and scoffed a bag of dimmies

And that's why they call it match sim....

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#DonTheStash

No need to be so dim

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

True.....it's a marathon not a sprint!

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#DonTheStash

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Is that the Lance Whitnall dietary advice video?

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Just watched Heath's My Blue Heaven training report.

His POV is that Carroll has a bad hammy.
Not sure about that.
Carroll's running laps.
Didnt play for precautionary reasons.
Did anyone see him do a hammy?


Acres is also showing no issue with his fkd up shoulders, and should be available for tomorrows game.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

One of the best TV series ever made.

Talented man.

I love Dimmies too.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Not playing at either level tomorrow night:

Lachie Cowan - calf (TBC)
Blake Acres - shoulder
Harry O'Farrell - knee*
Jesse Motlop - knee*
Jacob Weitering - ribs
Nick Haynes - ankle
Matt Carroll - hamstring (TBC)
Flynn Young - ?
Matt Cottrell - knee

Plus Cripps (SoO).

I assume we’ll get an injury update at some point after tomorrow’s match sims.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.