Dukes of depth - Saturday 11 March 2000
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Something players and fans never budget for is the crippling effect of
injuries. They always hit at the wrong time of the season. They may result
in a team trawling the depths of defeat when they should be near the top
of the ladder basking in the sun.
A heap of hobblers sorely test a team list. But when call up players are in the medical rooms, life is hard as an ice rink. You notice a player such as Craig Biddiscombe. Over his career he has been a slave to string trouble. Seem as tight as the lengths of steel on Angus Young's Gibson SG guitar. Biddiscombe was a bargain as selection 59 in the 1993 draft. He was a quick midfielder from Traralgon via Gippsland Power. His red hair made perfect for Geelong. He inherited the number 30 from another blood nut in Damian Bourke. Biddiscombe took a while to acclimatise at the Cattery. He found his feet in the reserves through 1994 . Made his senior debut in 1995. He had two games that season before twanging a hamstring, joining the rehab group then returning to the seconds. During 1996, Craig Biddiscombe played 10 senior games. His performance in Round 9, a Monday night fixture against Collingwood was nothing short of superlative. A feast of kicks, rebounding with the sparkle of Andrews Liver Salts and a decisive running goal as the Cats won by 63 points. However Biddis boy damaged an ankle a couple of weeks later and on return had to cool his heels in the Twos. Yet he bounced back like a beach ball at one day cricket. At one stage in the 1997 Ansett Cup match between Geelong and North Melbourne, Biddiscombe grabbed the ball, accelerated away and steadied to drive home a fantastic six pointer. That was the game where scores were level with seconds to go when Couchy marked on the siren. His point from a long way out saw a Geelong victory. Craig B. showed what he could do with a full pre season unhindered by hamstring and ankle complaints. But it was too good to last. Through '97, the nemesis injuries returned to haunt him like something out of 1313 Mockingbird Lane Mockingbird Heights. During 1998, he had 5 games mostly on the wing. There were 7 as interchange, 4 as emergency and 6 reserves games. After 34 senior appearances in four seasons at Geelong, Biddis was traded to Richmond for the start of the 1999 season. He caught the eye after a solid pre-season. Alas it was as though bad luck was his middle name. Four games in the seniors between Round 8 and 11. Emergency in 2. String trouble cost 5. Consistency was going to be the Battle of New Orleans. 10 reserves games completed his first frustrating year at Punt Road. You hope the year 2000 may bring better fortune to the number 22 that Biddis took over from Nathan Bower. Senior opportunities for Craig Biddiscombe could be the key to unlock the talent within. That is if he can stay off the injury cart. |
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