CHRIS Fagan is confident Dayne Zorko can walk into round one without a pre-season game, with Brisbane's coach confirming the veteran would be unavailable for Thursday night's match against Geelong as he continues to overcome a hamstring problem.
While Zorko is on track to face Port Adelaide on March 18, things don't look as bright for reliable defender Darcy Gardiner, who has had a setback following off-season shoulder surgery.
With Brisbane set to appoint its new captain, or captains, on Wednesday, the former skipper was reduced to light drills and running at the team's main training session on Tuesday morning.
Fagan said he was still confident Zorko would be fit in a fortnight.
"We were half hopeful he would be right for the Geelong game, but he won't be," Fagan said.
"We're very confident he'll be available for round one.
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"With an older player like him, we're not actually that concerned that he hasn't had that match practice, he's a natural touch player, he's very, very fit at the moment, so I'm happy for him to come into the season to play straightaway without any background matches.
"We're just using the time we've got rather than trying to rush."
Zorko was having his best pre-season in four years before the hamstring setback and returned following his off-season break noticeably leaner.
Gardiner is behind the eight-ball though after Fagan confirmed the defender had suffered a problem with his ankle and achilles.
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He was reduced to stationary drills at Brighton Homes Arena and appears a little way from returning.
"We're just being patient with that, and he may not be available for round one … there's no point in rushing him, we've got other guys going well in those positions.
"We'll just get him back into the team when he's ready."
Lachie Neale trained strongly after suffering a corked quad and dislocated finger against Sydney last Friday, while Cal Ah Chee (quad) will miss some time after picking up an injury last week.
Neale, Harris Andrews and Hugh McCluggage are among the front-runners expected to replace Zorko as captain.
