"He's done 3500 groins and he said mine were in the top three worst," Fevola said of Sydney-based surgeon Neil Halpin. "He said they were pretty bad."

"Hopefully in January, I'll get hammered, so I'll get fit and hopefully be ready to go in round one."

If the club knew he was injured and saw his performance drop in a season which was shot anyway, then why did they not at least rest him? I find this weird.

I'd say more stupid than weird - He now starts the season on the back foot when he could have had the op and be training now. Collingwood chose to rest all their top players and get them up to speed where we left our gun playing injured in a team that finished bottom - Stupid not weird

I'd say more stupid than weird - He now starts the season on the back foot when he could have had the op and be training now. Collingwood chose to rest all their top players and get them up to speed where we left our gun playing injured in a team that finished bottom - Stupid not weird

I think it was Pagan's way of getting a message through to Brendan.

Fev repeatedly told him he wasn't hurt, he was right to play, so Pagan let him take tha t responsibility and wouldn't let him use the injury as an excuse for poor form.

Sounds plausible, but don't we have medical staff? Wouldn't you expect doctor and physio's to be able to assess Fev? Why take the risk of long term injury or (as now) loss of pre-season? Either there is more to this or it is really a f* up by the football department. Most players want to play no matter what, it is up to the football department to manage the situation.

Problem was that Fev kept saying he was right to play, he wasn't injured. He would have thought he was doing the right thing by the team.

Pagan certainly hinted that this was the case when Fev finally admitted to the injury after Round 21

Problem was that Fev kept saying he was right to play, he wasn't injured. He would have thought he was doing the right thing by the team.

Understand all that. But would you not expect the football department's doctor and physio's as well as coaches to be able to see that he was injured (supporters clearly could see he was not right) and take action by omitting him from the team, get scan done etc. and at least rest him - no matter what the player says?

What I read into it was Pagan educating Fev to be responsible. When Fev denied he was hurt Pagan thought he'd challange him to keep playing through it and not be able to use the injury as an excuse for his form.

In this case Pagan may have overruled the doctor's. Whether that's the right course of action with such a valuable asset is the question.

Maybe his contract had a games played clause for bonus payments?