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Key Raiders set for early return from injury
BY LEE GASKIN, RUGBY LEAGUE
15 Feb, 2011 08:13 AM
The Canberra Raiders have breathed a sigh of relief as two of their stars eye earlier than expected returns to the NRL.Representative five-eighth Terry Campese - initially thought to be sidelined for the first three months of the competition due to a knee reconstruction - could come back as soon as round 10.
Meanwhile, centre Joel Thompson is on track to face the Cronulla Sharks in the season opener on March 13 after he was cleared of any major damage while playing for the Indigenous All-Stars last weekend.
Thompson will sit out Saturday night's first trial against the Melbourne Storm in Bega as the 22-year-old recovers from a minor rib injury.
Reports surfaced yesterday that Campese would be out until round 20 after suffering a torn pectoral muscle at training late last week.
Raiders strength and conditioning coach Matt Ford dismissed those claims. In fact, he said the 26-year-old Kangaroos and NSW Origin playmaker could make his return from a knee reconstruction three weeks sooner than first expected.
''Campo could be ready round 10 at the earliest,'' Ford said. ''He's coming along really well.
''Saying that, there's still a long way to go in the rehabilitation process.
''We'll see how his knee responds moving from side to side, that'll determine when he's ready to come back.''
Ford said Campese had twinged his shoulder during a weights session last week.
''It was nothing major,'' Ford said. ''No way in the world it was a torn pec.''
Campese tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the Raiders' semi-final loss to the Wests Tigers last September.
Hooker Travis Waddell dislocated his finger in the second tackle of the All-Stars game, but said he was available to face the Storm if selected.
The Raiders will today name a squad of between 25 and 29 players for the match, giving a host of fringe first-graders and under-20s a chance to impress coach David Furner.
SATURDAY
NRL trial match: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Bega, 7pm.
For more on this story, including details of the likely starters for the Raiders on Saturday, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/new...y-return-from-injury/2075924.aspx?storypage=0
BY LEE GASKIN, RUGBY LEAGUE
15 Feb, 2011 08:13 AM
The Canberra Raiders have breathed a sigh of relief as two of their stars eye earlier than expected returns to the NRL.Representative five-eighth Terry Campese - initially thought to be sidelined for the first three months of the competition due to a knee reconstruction - could come back as soon as round 10.
Meanwhile, centre Joel Thompson is on track to face the Cronulla Sharks in the season opener on March 13 after he was cleared of any major damage while playing for the Indigenous All-Stars last weekend.
Thompson will sit out Saturday night's first trial against the Melbourne Storm in Bega as the 22-year-old recovers from a minor rib injury.
Reports surfaced yesterday that Campese would be out until round 20 after suffering a torn pectoral muscle at training late last week.
Raiders strength and conditioning coach Matt Ford dismissed those claims. In fact, he said the 26-year-old Kangaroos and NSW Origin playmaker could make his return from a knee reconstruction three weeks sooner than first expected.
''Campo could be ready round 10 at the earliest,'' Ford said. ''He's coming along really well.
''Saying that, there's still a long way to go in the rehabilitation process.
''We'll see how his knee responds moving from side to side, that'll determine when he's ready to come back.''
Ford said Campese had twinged his shoulder during a weights session last week.
''It was nothing major,'' Ford said. ''No way in the world it was a torn pec.''
Campese tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the Raiders' semi-final loss to the Wests Tigers last September.
Hooker Travis Waddell dislocated his finger in the second tackle of the All-Stars game, but said he was available to face the Storm if selected.
The Raiders will today name a squad of between 25 and 29 players for the match, giving a host of fringe first-graders and under-20s a chance to impress coach David Furner.
SATURDAY
NRL trial match: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Bega, 7pm.
For more on this story, including details of the likely starters for the Raiders on Saturday, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/new...y-return-from-injury/2075924.aspx?storypage=0
