3 minute read
Cronulla coach John Morris has revealed the interstate trip that helped diagnose the root of Matt Moylan's hamstring issues.
It's the interstate fact-finding mission that has left Cronulla confident Matt Moylan's latest hamstring injury is merely just a setback, and not a sign he's destined for a move out of fullback.
A frustrated Moylan is set to spend a month on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring strain in last week's victory over Gold Coast.
It came after the one-time Kangaroos representative missed a game for the same issue in round five, and caused him to miss a large chunk of games last season.
Sharks coach John Morris on Friday was at pains to point out that this is the first time this year Moylan has suffered a hamstring strain.
"He had some tightness in round five against the Dragons, and that was more precautionary. He hadn't had a hamstring strain all year," Morris said.
And he also revealed the lengths the club's medical staff went to diagnosing the root of Moylan's issues, when they went to Melbourne over the summer.
"Our high performance team, led by our physio, Peter Moussa, did a really interesting study on him in the pre-season," Morris said.
"(We) engaged an expert down in a university, ACU in Melbourne, and they measured a hamstring fascicle length and circumference.
"And Moyza was a well below average compared to the cohort of study they've done with AFL players and NRL players.
"When we did an individualised strength training program for him all over the pre-season, his strength numbers went through the roof.
"So his hamstrings are in really good nick as a result of that targeted program."
Morris went on to explain that Moylan has instead been hampered by a calf problem that limited his pre-season preparations.
"That held him back from being able to develop that high running load and resilience that you need as a fullback," he said.
"He was robbed of that chance to get that good base in. This is his first one for the year, we're hoping it's only four weeks.
"But we're confident we can manage it, just given we can get that time and strength back into his legs again."
