Colbinabbin star Grant Weeks could return to football as early as this Saturday.
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The goalkicking machine hasn’t played a game this season after undergoing an ankle reconstruction in December.
Weeks has completed training the past two weeks and is contemplating a return to action this Saturday against White Hills.
“I’m not far away,’’ Weeks said.
“I’ve got some scar tissue in the ankle that’s causing me a few issues. I’ll play with it, it will just cause me some pain for a while. I’ve just got to get it through my head that I can push through the pain.
“Before I had the surgery there was plenty of scar tissue in there as well. It’s an ongoing thing I’ve got to deal with.
“I’ll train Tuesday and Thursday this week and see how I pull up. If I pull up alright I might play this week. If I don’t play this week it will be the Mounts game or the Huntly game.”
After such a long lay-off, the reigning Cheatley Medal winner has been told by Colbinabbin coach Nick Knight he might have to resume in the reserves.
“Knighter has threatened me with that (starting in the reserves),’’ Weeks said with a laugh.
“I’ve got to pull my finger out and start training harder. Andy Nisbet (reserves coach) is a good mate of mine and he’s been talking about it ever since I started training again.
“The seniors are going so well at the moment, I might have to get some game time under my belt in the reserves.”
Weeks said he was gaining more confidence in his ankle with each training session.
“I’ve still got my speed off the mark which is my biggest asset, but that’s when the ankle probably hurts the most at the moment,’’ he said.
“It’s just those first few steps when I have my weight on it.
“Eventually that pain will go away. The physio is really happy with the strength in my ankle… it’s probably stronger than what it was before I did the injury.
“There’s no harm in training and playing on it. I’ve just got the scar tissue problem to work through.”
Weeks spent the first six rounds of the season in the coaches box, watching the Grasshoppers cruise to a 5-1 record and third place on the ladder behind North Bendigo and Huntly.
“The first game was difficult when we lost, but since then we’ve been on fire,’’ Weeks said.
“It’s been quite enjoyable sitting back in the coaches box watching the boys do their stuff. We keep improving which is a good sign and we’ve still got some good players to come back in.
“(Previous Colbo premiership coach) Brent Millar is the main bench man and Matt Knight, Nick’s older brother, runs the board and rotations.
“They look after most things and I was just there to throw a few ideas around. I didn’t want to do too much because I knew I was going to get back on the ground at some stage and it was better for those two guys to have the control. They do a great job.”
While Weeks enjoyed his time in the coaches box, he has no plans to take up a senior coaching job anytime soon.
“I’ve seen the amount of work Knighter (Nick Knight) does,’’ Weeks said.
“It’s unbelievable. He lives in Lancefield, works in Melbourne and still gets to training every Tuesday and Thursday. I take my hat off to him.
“I couldn’t commit the time to the job. Maybe I could coach when I’ve finished playing. The amount of time you need to dedicate to coaching is like having another full-time job.”