Most have nothing serious to worry about in what can only be described as 'good news' for them and the club.??
Medical staff had delayed foot surgery for Nathan Grima after he showed significant signs of improvement following his initial diagnosis and review, but he'll now have the operation according to High Performance Manager and Director of Sports Science and Medical Services, Dr Steve Saunders.??
"Things improved for Nathan after some rest and management. Given the degree of that improvement and the possibility he might have become available for finals, the medical team elected to postpone his surgery for a week.?? He has now been referred for surgery.
"By late last week, although he continued to show good signs of improvement, unfortunately Nathan hadn't improved enough to satisfy club doctor Andy McMahon and he wasn't passed fit to play against Collingwood."??
Grima injured his left foot in the Round 21 match against Essendon and following minor surgery, he is expected to be ready for a full pre-season.??
No stranger to the inside of a hospital, Leigh Adams requires a minor knee arthroscopic procedure but is also expected to have an uncompromised pre-season.
"It's really just a minor wash out and tidy up that should minimize the risk of any further trouble...it's nothing significant but we feel it will be beneficial to him in the long run."??
Taylor Garner (ankle) and Kieran Harper (elbow) are in a similar boat to Adams with very minor procedures needed.
"Kieran hyper-extended his elbow a year ago and hasn't had much trouble with it until now. There are some low level signs that have presented in the gym but not impacted his football. Andy McMahon's plan is to address things now so the problem doesn?t impede Kieran?s strength development in the future," Saunders added.??
Defender Scott Thompson will undergo minor arthroscopic knee surgery while also recovering from the lung bruising which kept him from playing late in the season.
"While his knee has not limited training or game loads this season, Scott has a low level issue that Andy and the club's knee specialist consider is best dealt with now to minimize risk of trouble in the future. We're just reviewing his knee which has some low level symptoms and at this stage, we expect he'll be ready for the pre-season."??
Liam Anthony has already had his left shoulder reconstructed a number of years ago and will now require a reconstruction on the other side.?
"Liam's had some ongoing minor problems with his right shoulder throughout the year. He has managed these well, working hard with the doctor and physiotherapists to develop his shoulder muscle control and capacity. Now we feel there's enough concern to warrant an operation to stabilise it. Despite improvements, a Laterjet reconstruction offers him the best option going forward."??
The Laterjet (bone block) operation will help prevent his shoulder from popping out of its socket in the future - a procedure Leigh Adams has last year.??
Rising Star nominee Aaron Mullett will need his foot attended to after experiencing low level discomfort throughout the season.
"Again, this is a minor surgical procedure because it's been a constant source of irritation. The surgery will alleviate the source of sesemoid bone irritation under the ball of his right big toe."??
Sam Wright's right shoulder will also be looked.
"Sam is being reviewed by a specialist and will require arthroscopic surgery later this week so we can review the integrity of his right shoulder.??"
