Well, its not the end of the world and it was always likely that a few of our top 22 will suffer some serious injury this year. At least he appears OK to resume as the season hots up. Lets see what Bailey can get out of the rest of the boys until he recovers. Warnock had a bad season last year on the back of several seasons of solid progress. Lets hope its just a hiccup for him. If we are to be a genuine top side we have to brush these setbacks aside.

I've heard this from a number of sources and I find it hard to believe

I think its an urban myth, generated by filth fans to portray their players as superhuman

He might well have had a pec strain, but torn clean off the bone prior to the game? I don't think so

Yeah. Load of crap. His arm would be in a sling...

I had a similar injury to Chip's a few years ago. In fact, it was a cartiledge problem... Michael Vick had the same injury this season in the NFL and missed only a few weeks.

I can say thought that any injury in that area is tricky. It's one of those areas that's in constant use. rolling out of bed was actually difficult. I didn't know how much your chest muscles were involved in just normal balance. Breathing is even tough...

In terms of timing. This is pretty shocking. He's such a fit player and needs all that strength through the chest to stop guys like Brown and Fev. I like that he's only missing a month of pre-season and the Nab cup and will likely be back in the first 3rd of 2011... but he won't play like he did last year. Not with the business end of his preseason stuffed.

This hurts. Just about the last player I wanted to see go down.

I've always liked Warnock. Although with the emergence of other players in the backline, I feel his only chances of getting in the side will come through injuries.

It is very important to have players like Warnock who are able to step on the field and fill a role if someone goes down.

Absolutely and it isn't just the on field performance side of having a ready made replacement. It also gives the club some peace of mind that there isn't a gaping hole that needs to be filled and hence rush back a recovering player too early and risk further injury. There may an appreciable difference between Frawley and Warnock (obviously as Frawley is AA) but not to the extent that it will be a significant factor in deciding outcomes (hopefully). Warnock is at least competent at the type of role he plays.

Good thing is that he should still be able to get on the bike (and hopefully run) so he should still be fairly fit by the time he makes back into the squad.

Didn't catch it but Bails was on SEN and said Warnock will be the most likely replacement but Chip should be back by round 2 or 3.

Do not forget that Robbie Campbell played in defence for Hawthorn in there premiership year, im not suggesting that he is the straight swap for Frawley, but just abit more insurance for tall defenders.

Well taking a positive from a bad situation this gives us a chance to actually test our depth in defence. There is a spot available for whoever can stand up- maybe a chance for Martin to give it a crack. From all reports he is doing well in training.

10-12 weeks.

Hrmmmmm.

Garland onto the wing then..?

Indeed- or some time during the year. See you at training.

Well, its not the end of the world and it was always likely that a few of our top 22 will suffer some serious injury this year. At least he appears OK to resume as the season hots up. Lets see what Bailey can get out of the rest of the boys until he recovers. Warnock had a bad season last year on the back of several seasons of solid progress. Lets hope its just a hiccup for him. If we are to be a genuine top side we have to brush these setbacks aside.

Spot om ADC.

Why is it there are so many gloom merchants around?

Sure it would be better if he wasn't imjured.

Over the last 2 years he has developed into one of our top 2-3 players.

But as you correctly say, "if we are to a genuine top side we have to brush these setbacks aside".

This will show, if we are capable of that - an important opportunity.

if this has been Round 16-17 with a place in the top half of the 8 to be consolidated,perhaps it would be different - but it isn't.

and more, it will show if that did happen, if we are far enough advanced with our mission, to win the 13th Flag (at least.

See the light in the darkness.

Told you all we needed a 2nd genuine KPD.

Now we are exposed, lets hope its only for 3-4 games and we can cover at least adequately during this time

Bummer

So lets say they bring him back at the latest round 6.

Round 1: Sydney - Warnock should be alright on bradshaw, if not garland will have to try and match up on him. Yes, bradshaw may be stronger then garland but garland more then handled himself against fev, who is a bigg boy.

Round 2: Hawthorn - Trouble, Frawley is a great matchup for Buddy.. Garland may have to try and step up here while Warnock goes to Roughnut

Round 3: Brisbane - Lets hope fev isnt playing and we can double team Brown, Warnock might be able to hold him to 4. Then its only really Staker who rivers can easily shut down.

Round 4: Gold Coast - I cant see them having a good strong forward to worry about.

Round 5: Bye - Warnock should have this down too.

So in the scheme of things, we should be OK. Just OK..

Round 2 is the only worry but i think we are very lucky to have quite a handy backup defender in Warnock.

I will miss you frawley until your return

The Hun get it wrong again:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-defender-james-frawley-plays-down-pectoral-injury/story-e6frf9jf-1225992269015

Melbourne has defensive cover in fellow talls Colin Garland, Jared Rivers and Robert Warnock, but none of them is a pure full-back.

It is believed rookie John Meesen is also struggling after a third ankle operation and may miss the NAB Cup.

Wrong & Wrong !

Frawley may be a huge loss, but if our midfield stands up in the opening rounds I think we'll be alright.

Wrong & Wrong !

Frawley may be a huge loss, but if our midfield stands up in the opening rounds I think we'll be alright.

Well...it's not entirely wrong. Meesen may well still be suffering from his ankle injury and he will certainly miss the NAB cup!

You're right though, looking through the pictures Andy ahs put up, there's still a bunch of quality in the team.

I'm just glad this happened on January 20 and not July 20.

Good thing is that he should still be able to get on the bike (and hopefully run) so he should still be fairly fit by the time he makes back into the squad.

Didn't catch it but Bails was on SEN and said Warnock will be the most likely replacement but Chip should be back by round 2 or 3.

It's not about missing the games... it's the lack of pre-season. They're just SO important. Fitness is one thing, but the amount of hard body hits he takes in a game... his ability to bounce back is one of the things that sets him apart.

Do not forget that Robbie Campbell played in defence for Hawthorn in there premiership year, im not suggesting that he is the straight swap for Frawley, but just abit more insurance for tall defenders.

I've been a bit lazy this off season... is McNamara still on the list? That's another one...

Spot om ADC.

Why is it there are so many gloom merchants around?

Because one of our top 6 players, our best defender, and an All Australian (and nightmare matchup) is missing 3 months... half his preseason. You can look at the positives all you like... opposition sides will be breathing a sigh of relief. ANd while we may have good players coming up behind him, the whole LEAGUE has "good" players. What makes the difference is your best 5-10. And Frawley's just about our most important in our top ten behind maybe Green, Jamar... for different reasons.

The Hun get it wrong again:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/melbourne-defender-james-frawley-plays-down-pectoral-injury/story-e6frf9jf-1225992269015

Wrong & Wrong !

Frawley may be a huge loss, but if our midfield stands up in the opening rounds I think we'll be alright.

I agree with your last statement. Our defence last season suffered a lot due to our midfield allowing too many easy clearances and lack of midfiled support in back line stoppages.

Frawley's loss will hurt but a more telling indicator of how much we have improved will be demonstrated by how well we cover key player losses.

And so it starts. It would be be nice to get through a pre season for once without losing a couple of star players.

And so it starts. It would be be nice to get through a pre season for once without losing a couple of star players.

As someone said above, it is simply what happens. No team can go through a season without having injuries. Even the best teams lose their star players for a period of time each year.

What is more important is how this team responds when one of their stars is out for a sustained period of time.

There is no point wallowing in misery, it cannot be changed. It happened to Jurrah, Sylvia, Petterd and Grimes last year. In the future it will likely happen to another young star.

Yes Frawley's loss will hurt, no doubt about it, but if the backline resolve themselves to minimise the impact and the midfield pressure the opposition harder when they have the ball then we can cope.

This is how young teams learn what it takes to be the best- winning when you don't have all your best players out there.

Yeah, this could have been so much worse!

12 weeks from now takes us to 15th April. We play Gold Coast on April 17th, with a round 5 bye coming the week after. A conservative approach would see Frawley back on April 28th for an away trip to play West Coast - with Frawley missing a total of 4 games only (2 of which are against a Fevless Brisbane at the G and the new kids GC away, so pressumably easy wins).

If we played it even safer- a round 7 return against Adelaid at the MCG could be on the cards- that would be a conservative approach of a May 8th return, more than 15 weeks rehabilitation and missing only 6 games.

It does suck that we always get these injuries, but it will give us a good chance to see how we can cover for him in the backline. Also gives Warnock or Martin a chance to step up, hopefully everyone will be covering for Frawls and his absense isn't noticed too much.

Who do we think is going to step up in his absence? A joint effort? A knight in shining armour perhaps?

Well nutted out - no doubt they will not play him till right - however he can still keep his fitness up- just no practice matches etc.. will make him very rusty. However, we have a couple of possible replacements whom we can play during the NAB cup - Martin, Davis, Warnock, Nicholson, whom I believe is now a near certainty to be pushed up to the senior list, and MacDonald. Nicholson & MacDonald have been training the house down.

10-12 weeks.

Hrmmmmm.

Garland onto the wing then..?

Frawley may return as a sub and interchange Garland and play on the wing himself in the early return games. Anything is possible.

Majorly, majorly disappointing.

But putting it in perspective: it's January 22. We have a bye in Round 5, and of the first four games, two are against weak sides that we should be able to beat without him.

Not having Frawley is going to hurt us against Hawthorn, but Warnock is a more than able replacement, and along with Rivers and Garland, and with Joel MacDonald able to play as a third tall if required (and, going further, McNamara and Campbell on the rookie list), our depth should cope OK.

The only worry is that the injury has some sort of long-term impact on his marking or upper body strength or something. Not knowing anything about the muscles and how they work, hopefully there's no chance of that.

Bummer

The only worry is that the injury has some sort of long-term impact on his marking or upper body strength or something.

Other teams can only hope so, because the man was turning into a real-life Hulk.

Because one of our top 6 players, our best defender, and an All Australian (and nightmare matchup) is missing 3 months... half his preseason. You can look at the positives all you like... opposition sides will be breathing a sigh of relief. ANd while we may have good players coming up behind him, the whole LEAGUE has "good" players. What makes the difference is your best 5-10. And Frawley's just about our most important in our top ten behind maybe Green, Jamar... for different reasons.

I have no argument that losing Frawley will make it much harder for us in those first few weeks of the season. You put him in top 6, I would say, more likely Chip is one of the Top 3 "Most Valuable Players". So the impact will be significant. But, my point and that of some others, on this thread,is this will be a good opportunity to test our depth and see just how far we have come in the past 3 seasons.

Even if we had been able to put our best team on the park, this year, I don't think anyone would expect this to be a premiership year.

This is not the 1950's when we came from nowhere (sort of) in just a year. The game is now played by all teams at such a high level that is a most unlikely thing to happen.

In saying that, I will be very disappointed if we are not a significant finals team, who can WIN at least one or two finals.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves thinking 2011 is "our year".

Remember, in Jimmy's words, we have now left the "base camp" and are now on our way "up the mountain".

If we drop away because we've lost one of our best players before the season starts, me thinks we'd therefore still be at Jimmy's Base Camp!

As someone said above, it is simply what happens. No team can go through a season without having injuries. Even the best teams lose their star players for a period of time each year.

What is more important is how this team responds when one of their stars is out for a sustained period of time.

There is no point wallowing in misery, it cannot be changed. It happened to Jurrah, Sylvia, Petterd and Grimes last year. In the future it will likely happen to another young star.

Yes Frawley's loss will hurt, no doubt about it, but if the backline resolve themselves to minimise the impact and the midfield pressure the opposition harder when they have the ball then we can cope.

This is how young teams learn what it takes to be the best- winning when you don't have all your best players out there.

Exactly.

What about last year when we lost Flash?

We felt the loss, but other players stepped up.

Same when young Ricky was sidelined just after his brilliant (and nearly match winning) game against the Maggies.

It was not too long before LJ returned and got better as the season wore on.

Sure the structure of the forward line as it was "developing" changed to meet the challenge.

Dunn (the mo) finally took up his place as a fully fledged member of the team.

Brad Green had a stellar year, possibly because he had to contribute more to the forward line.

But, this year our problem is in the defense area.

Last year, we had such a good combination back there, playing as a very strong unit.

Now that unit is being put under the spotlight.

If we are a good team (and I believe we will be a great team) we MUST be able to deal with that.

The only worry is that the injury has some sort of long-term impact on his marking or upper body strength or something. Not knowing anything about the muscles and how they work, hopefully there's no chance of that.

I would have thought that was a genuine shorter term concern, even for the whole of this season, but perhaps not longer term. Sure, he can run and keep his general fitness up, but he's going to lose upper-body muscle and condition ... perhaps he'll come back in through the wing or midfield.(!!)

I'm in the "very bad news, but let's find the silver lining" camp myself, and hopefully, he isn't going to miss too many games.

If the 10 - 12 weeks assessment is accurate, then it's going to take him another 6 after that to regain full match fitness and re-build his muscular strength.

In that case we won't be seeing the best of Chip until round 7 or 8. A real bummer.

I hope they resist the temptation to bring him back too early, particularly if our backline isn't standing up without him. Give him all the time he needs to get it right.