Tom Bellchambers is set to start pre-season training before Christmas after undergoing successful ankle surgery.
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Essendon ruckman Tom Bellchambers looks set to begin pre-season training before Christmas after undergoing successful surgery on a troublesome ankle.
Bellchambers underwent follow-up surgery last month after undergoing an ankle reconstruction in January.
The 25-year-old is set to assume the no.1 ruck role in 2015 after the departure of Paddy Ryder to Port Adelaide, and Bombers head of coaching development and strategy Neil Craig said he could begin running by the end of the month.
“We would be really disappointed if he weren’t back in full training before Christmas,” Craig told the Herald Sun.
“There are no guarantees, but we are not sitting here saying ‘gosh, that is a serious ankle surgery there, we could be in a bit of trouble’.
“Not at all.
“He was limited last year with the training that he could do, because we had to manage him through. So, once he can do the work, we are keen for him to jump straight in.
“Half way through December if he is ready to go, he’ll do it (ramp up training) because as you could understand, he could end up being a pretty important player for us.”
Bellchambers was restricted to just eight games in 2014 following his ankle reconstruction.
He had to wait until round nine for a return to action, but suffered ongoing pain throughout the rest of the season.
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