The 275-game great strained his left hamstring at training on Monday, and while he’s set to be sidelined for the standard 21-28 days, was typically selfless in turning the focus back onto the importance of the team notching some early wins in his absence.
“I’ll miss the first couple at least, but that’s my scenario and my situation, but as I said we’ve got a list of 43 other guys to represent the club”, Buckley said.
“I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure they’re in a position and prepare as best they possibly can to do the job for the club. It’s not the end of the world, we move on and make sure we get some wins under the belt and start our season well.”
The hamstring which Buckley injured on Monday is the opposite one to which he had major surgery on back in 2005, when he ruptured a tendon behind his right knee.
“I had it scanned yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. There’s probably a grade one strain in the left, so as Walshy (chief of football Geoff Walsh) said yesterday it’s probably a four week injury.
“So I’ll continue rehab as per normal for a hammy injury, I’m pretty experienced at that at the moment, hopefully get the body right for around four weeks time.”
Four weeks time is likely to be the round three Friday night clash against Richmond at the MCG, Collingwood’s first home game of the 2007 season.
When asked about what sort of contribution he wants to make in 2007, Buckley was honest about the way his role has changed, but added that despite the only two matches he missed in 2006 were when he was rested for interstate trips, that won’t necessarily be the case this year.
“I don’t play the same game time I used to, not many people in the midfield do, so there are not many 100 per cent midfield runners, depending on what role the coach requires of me, and I felt like I’d prepared for any role that he wanted to use me in.
“So I anticipate being played 75-80 per cent (of each game) on average.
“The travel doesn’t worry me, it’s never really been a consideration of mine, short weeks would be an issue, but that’s something that you deal with on a week-by-week basis. So we might have a plan going into the season but as we know, it changes pretty quickly.”
Buckley, who will be 35 in July, is captaining the club for a record ninth season in 2007, having broken Syd Coventry’s games as captain record last season.
