Rumour - Franco out for the year

Bloody hell its true, shit,

Looked like a legal tackle to me jsa. And Vossy wasn't anywhere near him at training so look to your own backyard. Take off the Port Wine glasses!

It is terrible that Francou is out for the season, he is an exceptional player.

Yep, Franco out for the year. Not a good look for the Power with Franco AND Stevens not in the side this year. The Power has some bad luck with injuries in recent years with injuries to Primus, Tredrea, Lade and now Francou copping a double knee with the lot.

The return of Francou would have helped to cover the loss of Stevens but now the opportunity is there for someone in the middle to stand up for the Portonians.

While we are talking about wine glasses tho Luce, I do remember Voss crunching Corey Enright's shoulder a few seasons back in an incident that would have earned a 'mere mortal' a reprimand for careless play. No one is squeaky clean out there, not even Vossy.

regards,

REB

Arghhh another port boy that got away

Are u sure he didnt injure it out on the piss REB??

I'm sorry to hear the news about Franco, he's a great player and you would want to see him on the ground regardless whether you follow Port or not.

I boldly predict that there may be a slow change of approach to knee injuries which means that when a player cops a bad one they do sit out for 12 months plus, with the emphasis on "sit". No running, no bike, no leg work at all. My spy at the Lions tells me that because of his shoulder injuries and rehab. Leppa has been unable to do any training, none at all, since the operation in October. The thing is that they tested his knees the other day as part of a regular check, he did his knee in '95 and has been troubled with it since. His knee is clear and back to normal, the medicos at the Lions are amazed at the pictures. This is behind the statement that Voss will not play until his knee is 100% whether is takes 3, 6 or 12 months

As trite as it may sound, a year off everything for Josh may add 2-3 towards the end of his career, or at least let him play footy the way he wants too when he does come back.

What's up with Vossy Bird?

regards,

REB

Whilst what you write is correct, i fear for franco, he's a swivel and evasive type player thru heavy traffic, and without the "give" in his knee i can see him not being able to do this in the future and therefore unable to play his style of game.

Huge loss for port, id suggest they cant win the premiership now as they only have one other in and under on-baller and that is james and he mightnt be ready til half way.

He had trouble with his knee for the last half of last year REB and elected not to have an operation over the off-season but just rest.

There was a report in the Couier-Mail earlier this week that he would not come back until it was right, whatever time it took to recover fully. (After he was revived from his faint both Peter Beattie and Springborg then made election promises that if elected they would make Michael Voss fully fit. Both parties went ahead in the polls)

Since then both MV and Mathews have been in the press saying he will be fully fit and ready for Round 1 and that his knee is responding well to the program set out by the Lions.