After a weekend off I'm feeling very refreshed and looking forward to this weekend where we play Essendon at ANZ stadium on Sunday at 2. Most of the players had the weekend off except for the boys who played the Hall of Fame game. It was a very free-flowing game of football and the skill level on show was unbelievable and it was great to see the best at what they do in action together. The game was a huge success and from a players' point of view. Having pulled out with some hamstring soreness was very disappointing but it was a great honour to get selected and recognised for all my hard work. I spent a few days down there and it was great to mix with other players from other clubs off the field, something we don't get a huge opportunity to do living in Sydney. I think the game was a great success and players enjoyed the opportunity and represented the game well.

For the last week-and-a-bit we have had an opportunity to freshen up a few players and to work on our ball use which really cost us in the last two games we have played. This weekend against Essendon, who have being playing a highly attacking game of football, it will be a challenge for us as a group to try and stop the run and attack of the Dons.

On the injury front Nick Malceski makes his return with the reserves this weekend from an ACL injury which normally would rule a player out for a year but Nick had a revolutionary operation which replaced his ligament with a synthetic one. He has been charging around the place and looks fantastic. Barry Hall has had his cast removed and is on the road back from wrist surgery and has been doing a lot of hard running so should be in great shape when he comes back.

For me personally my hamstring has cleared up and I think having not played the Hall of Fame game it has given me an opportunity to slow my preparation down which has given me more time to recover and be right for the game this weekend. outside of footy I've being up to my eyes in uni work as it's coming towards the end of the semester and the end of my Bachelor of Arts degree so I'm keeping very busy on and off the field. Who says footballers have an easy life?

Irish Ozzie