Didak 'disappointed' to miss a month
Alan Didak will miss the next four weeks after tearing his adductor muscle at training on Monday.
Didak, who was enjoying a strong pre-season heading into his 11th season, sustained the injury during a training session at Gosch’s Paddock.
The dual All-Australian spoke to collingwoodfc.com.au about the frustration he feels after his latest setback.
“I was having a good pre-season and feeling positive about 2012,” Didak said at the Westpac Centre on Tuesday morning.
“I hit the ground running in Arizona after not having the season I would’ve liked last year, and continued to do all the training after Christmas.
“It’s extremely frustrating and disappointing to be sidelined for a few weeks, but hopefully I can recover well, get back and play some good footy in the early part of the season."
Collingwood director of football Geoff Walsh said the club is hopeful that Didak will be back on the field in time for round one.
“Alan has torn his adductor muscle and will miss the next four weeks,” Walsh said.
“He has had scans to confirm the injury and now will go through a rehab schedule to hopefully get him back and ready for round one of the home and away season.”
Didak, who turns 29 next week, has played 202 games for the Magpies over 10 seasons. He was the Copeland Trophy winner in 2006 and was named in the All-Australian team in 2006 and 2010.
Most famously, he was a vital component of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership with two goals in the Grand Final replay. He played in all four finals despite a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery at the end of the season.
In the next four weeks, Collingwood play the Western Bulldogs and Greater Western Sydney in the first round of the NAB Cup on February 18 before taking on Melbourne in the second round of the pre-season on March 3.