A strenuous pre-season has emerging Richmond key defender David Astbury primed for a successful return from the serious knee injury he suffered during the first half of last season.
Astbury dislocated his kneecap in Richmond’s Round 9 loss to Melbourne at the MCG and was sidelined for the remainder of the Tigers’ 2014 campaign after undergoing surgery.
At the time, Astbury was in the best form of his league career, having beaten several of the competition’s most dangerous key forwards during the opening rounds of the season.
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He has worked diligently throughout the pre-season and is on track to regain his place in Richmond’s senior line-up.
“Pre-season’s been relentless. I’ve missed a couple of sessions just through load management, but I’m very much looking forward to having a big 2015 with the side and building towards something special,” Astbury said.
“It’s been a long time since Round 9, 2014, when I dislocated my kneecap, but I think I’m on track to make a senior return early in the year . . .
“Physically I feel really good. I’ve got full confidence in my knee, I’ve been training with some of the best defenders in the competition, and playing on some of the best forwards in Jack (Riewoldt).
“I’m very much looking forward to showing that I’ve got that form at a consistent level in the AFL . . . I have full confidence that I’ll do that.”
