JASON Rowan wants to be prowling the Warrnambool goal square striking fear into Hampden league opponents by round one next season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Rowan is on the comeback trail from a knee reconstruction which ended his 2015 campaign before it began.
The four-time century goal kicker started 2016 pre-season training – albeit on a modified program – with his Blues’ teammates under new coach John Cook this week.
Rowan, 29, ruptured his left anterior cruciate ligament in March during a practice match against Geelong league club Lara.
He said his knee felt fine physically and it was now about overcoming self-doubt in a bid to push for a round-one return.
“I am well ahead of where I should be according to my physio,” Rowan said.
“I am at the stage now where I am getting sideways movement.
“It is not vicious sideways movement but it’s just enough to get faith back in the leg.
“I am getting to the point where it is a bit mental now.
“It’s just about the mental side of things, telling yourself everything is going well and will be all right.”
Rowan said he noticed those types of issues when he started box jumps a month ago as he started to build strength.
“I was favouring my good knee a little bit,” he said.
Rowan, who was one of four Warrnambool players to require a full knee reconstruction in 2015, is easing his way back into training.
He hopes to do “explosive stuff out of the goal square, like 20-metre take offs” after the holiday break.
“What we are mapping out now is to do all the runs with the boys but when they do ball work I will step back for the next five weeks until Christmas and just focus on getting the muscles right,” he said.
Rowan is confident he can replicate his match-winning form when he returns.
The Warrnambool leader – he was captain before he was injured – kicked 296 goals in his past three seasons, including 112 in 2014 when the Blues fell to Koroit in the grand final.
“A lot of people say you won’t be anywhere near as good as you were in your first year back,” he said.
“I took that on board but I can see myself coming back where I left off.”
Rowan, who admitted it was hard to watch when “games were in the balance” used his forced hiatus to branch into coaching.
He assisted Blues under 18 coach Josh Walters, “helping with leading patterns and taking set shots”.
The chance to learn from Blues premiership mentor Scott Carter was also invaluable for his development.
First-year coach Cook is encouraging the club’s top-age under 16s and under 18 players to attend senior training.
