Charman’s off season worries began when he broke his hand while boxing at training.
But the 200cm giant is now back training with the main group and making up for lost time as the premiership season closes in.
“It’ll be either really late in the NAB Cup or round one,” Charman said.
“I need to get a fair bit of group training and get all of the things that Vossy’s been talking about over the pre-season, just get a good grasp of the concepts.”
The Lions’ top five ruckmen are currently all out injured; Charman, Matthew Leuenberger, Bart McCulloch, Daniel Murray and Joel Tippett.
The last three of those are yet to play an AFL game, suggesting the Lions are looking thin in the ruck department.
“It’s a little bit hard for the big guys at the moment,” Charman said, “but hopefully we’re all coming good and we can play some good footy.
“You can’t put too much pressure on the young guys coming in because all of a sudden they come into training and they sometimes have previous injuries from the under 18’s competition and then they come in and train and can’t handle the training.”
The Lions were smashed in the ruck department against St Kilda last Saturday night.
The Saints racked up 61 hit outs to the Lions’ 12.
Yet the Lions had 29 centre clearances to St Kilda’s 23, and they won the game.
Charman joked that the stats suggest they might not need ruckmen anymore.
“Down the track you still need the big guys in there competing,” Charman said.
“Myself and Leuy (Leuenberger), if we can get a good combination going through the year, the team will be better off.
“Matty Tyler (seven hit outs) did really well and Jared Brennan (four) has just got great spring so he can come in the ruck too, so it’s a bit of a relief that you have guys coming in behind you when you are injured and help you out.”
The Lions play Essendon in a NAB Cup quarter final at Telstra Dome on Friday February 27.
Dream Team watch – Jamie Charman is rated a $278,300 ruckman in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.
