Lions consider resting Simon Black - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Lions consider resting Simon Black

By Jim Morton 29/05/2008 05:34:38 PM Comments (0)

The Brisbane Lions won't hesitate to rest Simon Black at a moment's notice if his lingering groin problems flare up again.

Black has bounced back brilliantly from a fortnight off with a minor groin strain which the club feared could plague him for the bulk of the season.

He missed Brisbane's hard-fought loss to Geelong at Skilled Stadium and was also ruled out of the Dream Team for the Hall of Fame match at the MCG.

The 2002 Brownlow Medallist, who had off-season surgery after suffering from osteitis pubis in 2007, was back to his best form in wins over Carlton and St Kilda and showed no signs of the problem.

"That's because we pulled it up straight away," Lions coach Leigh Matthews said.

"I got a feeling that if we tried to put him on the field against Geelong he might still be in trouble.

"As soon as the symptoms came up we stopped him straight away."

Matthews said the club was prepared to repeat the measure if the nagging problem came back at Black.

"If the symptoms come up again you have just got to nip it in the bud," he said.

"He's certainly played well in the last couple of weeks he's played."

Matthews, who named an unchanged side to play the Kangaroos at the Gabba on Saturday night, will coach the merged club for a record 225 matches when they take on North Melbourne.

He will eclipse the mark set by Robert Walls who coached Fitzroy from 1981-1985 and the Brisbane Bears from 1991-1995.

Matthews is set to coach his 449th VFL/AFL match, drawing him level with Norm Smith in eighth spot on the all-time list.

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