fraser ready to play

[magpielover]

Pies seek VFL hitout for Fraser

Nabila Ahmed


Collingwood will ask the AFL for permission to play Josh Fraser in a VFL practice match this weekend, with a view to playing the young ruckman in the season opener against Richmond.

But Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews said yesterday the AFL should resist the temptation to allow clubs to give underdone players a run in unofficial matches, saying it was unfair for clubs like his.

Under AFL rules, all listed players must have a weekend off before the start of the season. The only way around the ban is if the AFL's football operations department gives permission.

"There will be teams wanting players to play with their VFL team or play in the SANFL or the WAFL," Matthews said. "But we haven't got a choice, we can't play because we've got nowhere to send half a dozen players that maybe could do with playing next weekend."

Collingwood's Fraser, who has missed all pre-season matches with osteitis pubis, has made better-than-expected pro-gress with his injury. "We're quite pleased with the way he is," football operations manager Neil Balme said yesterday.

"He trained quite well last week.

"Obviously there's certain progressions he's got to take before we'd expose him to playing. At the minute he's on track and we reckon he's a pretty reasonable chance to have a run this weekend."

Balme said the club had not yet ruled Fraser out of playing in round one. He said that Ryan Lonie, who has also had groin problems, may play this weekend as well, but his chances of lining up for the first round were not as strong.

The 19-year-old has played in just one of Collingwood's pre-season games, against Sydney.

The Pies also plan to seek permission for Anthony Rocca and Shane O'Bree (achilles) to play for Williamstown in the VFL this weekend. Both had a run in the side's first win of the year on Saturday, against St Kilda at North Ballarat.

Captain Nathan Buckley is a certainty to line up against the Tigers in round one.

The Demons have put in a request to the AFL his week to allow Guy Rigoni, Daniel Ward and Steven Febey one last hitout with VFL club Sandringham before the season starts.

Essendon has also indicated it wants champion spearhead Matthew Lloyd and Paul Salmon to play in a VFL practice match.

-with AAP

[GO RUPERT 10]

MEMO TO THE COACHING STAFF
DONT RUSH FRASER TOO SOON

[cobood]

......DITTO.....

BE LOUD...BE PROUD
(September.... we WILL be there)

[bwphantom]

Yea we are in no real rush for Fraser to come back. I reckon make sure he is fully fit and up to standard and then unleash him.


Go PIES!!!!