No Rest For Goodes

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday May 23, 2008

Michael Cowley

ADAM GOODES was four months into his AFL career when he walked from the SCG, disappointed he had lost to Essendon, and with a little pain in his arm.

X-rays would reveal Goodes had a greenstick fracture, but even that injury would keep him out for only three matches. He would return for the Swans on August 29, 1999, and despite injuries, niggles and a couple of tribunal appearances, he would not miss another game.

Tomorrow, back home in Adelaide before "around 30 or 40" friends and family, Sydney's "Mr Unbreakable" will play his 200th successive senior match.

Only three players - Melbourne's Jim Stynes (244 games) and Adem Yze (226), and Richmond's Jack Titus (204) - have played more games without a miss.

"It's kind of crept up on me," Goodes said of the milestone. "I've been lucky through injuries and the medical staff, and I do buy into the recovery program we have here and everything we do here to protect the body. A lot of credit goes to the medical staff and people in the fitness area for keeping my body in this condition to play 200 in a row.

"Obviously, 200 in a row is an amazing effort and it's just a reminder to keep doing the small things I'm doing - the stretching, the ice baths, the extra yoga sessions, spas, wearing compression socks - just to make sure my body's right going into every game and I can play the best I can every week."

It's not like Goodes has been lucky. He tore his posterior cruciate ligament in 2004 but played on. He has suffered debilitating shoulder injuries but played on and played well. And twice he has visited the tribunal, escaping suspension due to his good record last year, and being exonerated this year.

While Goodes is the leader, he is not Robinson Crusoe when it comes to consecutive matches. Brett Kirk has played the past 138 games, Ryan O'Keefe has a live streak of 107 games, Michael O'Loughlin (79), Darren Jolly (75), Jude Bolton (69) and Jarrad McVeigh (56). Add Barry Hall (113 successive games) and Leo Barry (79), both of whom had a long streaks before injury hit last season. What makes those figures more impressive is that Kirk, Barry, Hall and O'Loughlin are all on the wrong side of 30.

"It's very impressive, and a large part of those streaks come back to the individual," Swans conditioning coach Rob Spurrs said. "Goodesy for example is extremely diligent with his off-field stuff and he's also very honest. He knows his body very well, and he'll let us know how he's travelling, whether or not he needs a break [from training] or whether he can keep going, and let's not undervalue the fact that he's also a very tough character.

"The players learn over time that honesty is a necessary thing. I don't think players are dishonest on purpose, but they think, 'Oh I've got a bit of niggle here. I won't raise it, I'll just get through.' But those niggles can eventually add up to a serious injury.

"There is, and has been for quite some time, a really strong emphasis on recovery. A large part of the week is based on recovery from the previous game, and there's also a large focus on the monitoring of the physical condition of the player each day. And the programs are very much based on the individual rather than a blanket program for them all.

"But it also helps that this is a three-way street, with us, the players and the coaches, who really buy into the medical and conditioning program. They listen and take on board what we have to suggest. They understand what we are trying to achieve. When you suggest a player should miss the first session of each week or do some running instead of a full session, the coaches are happy for that to happen."

Tomorrow's match against Port Adelaide is in the AFL's indigenous round.

"I played my 100th game over in Adelaide, and it was nice to share it with family members," Goodes said. "I think I got 110 tickets for the family over there to come watch that game. I think I've only got 30 or 40 tickets to get. I was lucky enough to play my 200th game last year, and share it with Michael [O'Loughlin] breaking the [club] games record, and [on] my 150th, I was able to captain the club that day, so all my important milestones have fallen on important rounds for me."