Upbeat Laidley Hints At Thompson Recall
The Sunday Age
Sunday August 26, 2007
KANGAROOS coach Dean Laidley has intriguingly revealed his temptation to recall Nathan Thompson for the finals less than six months after the big forward's knee was reconstructed, while new games record-holder Glenn Archer spoke of his determination to clinch a top-four spot after yesterday's 82-point victory over Carlton.
The Kangaroos celebrated Archer's record-breaking 307th match with the club's biggest win for the season, which sealed a place in the eight and brought a top-four position into sharp perspective ahead of next Sunday's round-22 game against the Western Bulldogs.Laidley raised the possibility, however playfully, of naming Thompson for that game, but said he would first have to convince his surgeon and the club's medical staff that he was ready to play. Thompson cannot warm up for a comeback in the VFL as the club to which he is aligned - Tasmania - played its final game for the season yesterday."If he ticks all those boxes then he can come and see the coach. He has been training well and, you know, the temptation is there, the temptation is there," Laidley said. "But we'll have to wait and see. We should just name him next week just to keep all you people on the trail."Asked whether it would be difficult to change a forward set-up that is functioning well, with Drew Petrie and Aaron Edwards booting four goals each against the Blues, Laidley said: "Yes, but what happens if it works better than it has been? You just don't know, do you?"Thompson ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during a pre-season practice game against St Kilda in March. The Kangaroos are expected to rest key defender Michael Firrito for the Bulldogs game after he came off the ground with a bruised heel yesterday, but they should regain Jesse Smith (ankle) and will see how Josh Gibson came through yesterday's VFL game. It was his first match since suffering bleeding on the brain in a bathroom accident.Archer jogged off Telstra Dome through a guard of honour formed by his teammates, and the "Shinboner of the Century" admitted he was keen to get on with the business of pursuing a double chance, which will depend partly on Hawthorn's fortunes in the last two home-and-away rounds."Hopefully, I can put all that stuff behind me and concentrate on getting myself right, because I didn't play all that well today and I've got to play better next week," Archer said. "It means a lot, but it doesn't mean all that much if you get into the finals and lose the first week. Once you (are) there you want to go all the way. If we can win next week it gives us a chance to get in (to the top four) depending on other results ... It would be a good result to finish fourth." This would pit the Kangaroos against minor premier Geelong in the first week.Carlton coach Brett Ratten said the Blues suffered a let-down after a month of gallant losses, and were "chasing butt" from the start. Matthew Lappin had to withdraw from the team after injuring his back while moving a child's pusher on the morning of the match, and Ryan Houlihan joined him on the sidelines with a chest infection.Ratten said captain Lance Whitnall's future would not be decided entirely on his form in the last three weeks of the season. He has struggled since returning from a knee injury and salvaged two third-quarter goals from a disappointing performance yesterday."We will sit down and review his season fully, not just these last three weeks, and then have a look at the state he is in mentally and physically," the new Blues coach said."Lance showed if he had grasped the opportunities that were in front of him he would have had a pretty solid day ... It wasn't a bad performance but it wasn't a great performance, either."Ratten said the club would make it a priority to develop a key defender to support Bret Thornton, and would like to secure an uncontracted player as well as boost its young talent through the draft. The round-22 game against Melbourne will determine whether Carlton keeps the No. 1 pick.
© 2007 The Sunday Age