Necessary Carlton midfielder Adam Cerra’s horror run of hamstring accidents continued in opposition to Melbourne on Thursday night time however coach Michael Voss says his newest setback is barely “minor”.
Cerra was subbed out in the course of the third quarter of the Blues’ one-point win after struggling his fourth hamstring damage since July final 12 months.
The 24-year-old was solely two video games into his return from the midweek damage which dominated him out of Carlton’s spherical 5 loss to Adelaide, which was amongst a cluster of hamstring strains that drew consideration from the Blues hierarchy.
Chief government Brian Prepare dinner stated final week the Blues “had a very good look” at their conditioning program following the spate of accidents to Cerra, Adam Saad, and duo Mitch McGovern and Jack Martin, who each returned efficiently in opposition to the Demons.
Voss was not sure whether or not Cerra’s damage was to the identical hamstring as his earlier criticism however was not involved by the extent of the injury.
“It’s a slight hamstring, minor hamstring I ought to say, so we’ll get that scanned and see the place that lies,” he stated after the sport.
George Hewett was the plain substitute for Cerra for the spherical 10 conflict in opposition to Sydney, after the previous Swan was dropped to the sub position regardless of 30 disposals and 6 clearances the week earlier than in opposition to Collingwood.
Voss stated the choice was merely to rotate his midfielders over a protracted season after Matt Kennedy had carried out the position in opposition to the Pies.
“We’re simply sharing the load, it’s a protracted season, Matty Kennedy performed there final week, and George took his flip … our small forwards have achieved the identical job,” Voss stated.
That’s the method we’ll hold taking … we realise that it’s a protracted 12 months, and we’ve been lucky sufficient to have the ability to get some extra our bodies again, and that hopefully will put some extra strain on gamers and their positions.”
Voss joked that Kennedy’s profitable tagging position on Christian Petracca within the first quarter had induced the positional change which nearly gained the Demons the match, as he praised the rival famous person for his “sensational” particular person effort.
He stated the frustration of permitting Melbourne again into the sport wouldn’t “take away from the positives” for the Blues.
“The beginning was actually spectacular, that was how we needed to ensure we (bought the sport) actually early … clearly Melbourne have been off the again of a five-day break, so simply making an attempt to get the soar,” he stated.
“We’ve been combating I reckon for a very good month, I feel we’ve been in some good kind, we’ve performed in opposition to some actually good sides.
“It’s been one thing we’ve been chasing onerous … to soak up 20 inside 50s within the final quarter and to nonetheless have the ability to dangle on – I’m positive we’ll look again at it and say there’s moments we’d love to do higher, we’d wish to have some higher composure, however typically throughout the entire sport, I used to be actually impressed with the win.
“We’ve been speaking concerning the phases of the sport and the way we need to defend as a staff, and I noticed an actual shift there, so we’ll stroll away fairly pleased with the end result.”
