Injury Daniel Menzel - 4th ruptured ACL

[Footy Smarts]

People putting a line through him already are being way too premature. Maybe he'll choose retirement himself but he's only 21. A couple of players in Bailey and Gumbleton both played this weekend and impressed. Everybody had written both of them off at a similar age to Menzel.

Basically it's up to Daniel what he decides to do from here. If it's gone he'll have to have it reconstructed again in some way. It would be completely understandable if he can't handle doing a rehab at the club with all the expectations placed on a professional athlete. Maybe getting away from footy completely for a while would be best for him, whether that means travelling, studying, working, whatever. But realistically the club isn't going to put an ultimatum on him. Unless he pulls the pin on his own career we won't pull the pin on it for a long while yet.

Even if he decides to go away and enjoy life for a while then come back and give footy a crack again from 2015 with an eye to playing in 2016 he'll only be 24 by then. That would potentially give him 7-8 years of really good footy. The club will be willing to work around him even if it means dropping him from the main list and on to the rookie list. Unless he wants it to be the end there's no reason he can't give footy a shot again since time is on his side.

 

[AlterRob]

Krock Footy just posted this on Twitter :/

Fingers crossed.

 

[BlueNWhite]

Balmey has told SEN a fourth reco is the likely outcome this morning...
http://www.sen.com.au/display-article/Menzels-bad-luck-continues/57998

 

[Jmac2225]

Krock Footy just posted this on Twitter :/

Can't veiw on tapatalk can you please describe.

 

[BlueNWhite]

Can't veiw on tapatalk can you please describe.

Menz told Krock he was prepared for the worst as he entered the medical clinic for his scan... :/

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

SO

So you're telling me that the GFC VFL club doctor would tell Larkins everything, knowing full well it would be splattered all over the TV, while releasing a completely different message from the Club itself? Really?

Yes. 100% they do. Many club medicos have worked alongside Larkins in the same practice and they absolutely trust him to only say as much as needs to be said. I know of current AFL club doctors who have said that if Larkins wants to know the extent of an injury, he only needs to pick up the phone. And considering his extremely close relationship with the Geelong Football Club, you can bet that they'd have a similar relationship with him.

It is shocking news for Menzel, but I just think that more than almost any other injury, a ruptured ACL seems to be an injury they just don't stuff up a call on. It's like when we see someone twinging a hammy...don't need any qualifications, or a thorough examination of the player to recognise that hop a player does when it goes. And that's probably what it's like with an ACL, for someone who would literally have worked on hundreds of them.

 

[Scully2GWS UMAD]

Sounds like bad news for Menz.
Very sorry to hear for the young fella, was destined to be a star for the Cats. Fingers crossed he makes it back.

 

[MrRockett24]

COMEON BOYS....ITS BEEN 19 MINS SINCE LAST POST AND OVER AN HOUR SINCE TWITTER FEED NEWS......ANY MORE WORD YET

 

[spudmaster]

Fingers crossed for ya, Menzel! You deserve some good luck more than anyone mate.

 

[sauron256]

COMEON BOYS....ITS BEEN 19 MINS SINCE LAST POST AND OVER AN HOUR SINCE TWITTER FEED NEWS......ANY MORE WORD YET

According to K-Rock's twitter feed, he's taken the scans back to the club doctor. Outcome should be known this arvo.

 

[Willo_]

COMEON BOYS....ITS BEEN 19 MINS SINCE LAST POST AND OVER AN HOUR SINCE TWITTER FEED NEWS......ANY MORE WORD YET

This is exactly what I am like right now

 

[burto]

Assuming a worst case scenario, a full reco, take 12 months away from the club and return in late 2014, complete the 2015 pre season and play round 1 2015

 

[fpm84]

COMEON BOYS....ITS BEEN 19 MINS SINCE LAST POST AND OVER AN HOUR SINCE TWITTER FEED NEWS......ANY MORE WORD YET

Menzel is at the club with officials and doctors now, and is expected to receive outcomes of his scan at around 1pm.

We should know more in the next two hours.

 

[burto]

I know nothing about knees but perhaps spending 12 months walking around on the knee before starting any sort of training would be beneficial? Does the body take time to get used to its new knees?

 

[fpm84]

Assuming a worst case scenario, a full reco, take 12 months away from the club and return in late 2014, complete the 2015 pre season and play round 1 2015

That would be three years without AFL. Has any player ever come back from that long out of the game?

 

[vealesy]

That would be three years without AFL. Has any player ever come back from that long out of the game?

Menzel has such a huge natural talent, hes one of few that would be worth the expense to see if he could.

I really hope he doesn't give up.

 

[footscore]

he's 21 now, if he were to come back for the 2015 season, 24yrs is still young, his dream is definitely not over even if it is worth case scenario today.

 

[catempire]

That would be three years without AFL. Has any player ever come back from that long out of the game?

Andrew Krakouer.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

That would be three years without AFL. Has any player ever come back from that long out of the game?

Neale Daniher. Missed pretty much bang on four years.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

That would be three years without AFL. Has any player ever come back from that long out of the game?

Blicavs??

 

[topic97]

I know nothing about knees but perhaps spending 12 months walking around on the knee before starting any sort of training would be beneficial? Does the body take time to get used to its new knees?

Nah, if anything that would be detrimental to it.
Because of Muscle Memory, he would feel good enough to take off full pelt on his first run & probably do a hammy or re-do the knee.

Not to mention he would loose way too much conditioning & be too far behind the 8 ball to get back.

Good strength training & a big mobility focus for probably a longer period would be the go.
But having said that, I rekon the club will explore different rehab options this time to get it totally right - if its gone its really a last ditch effort for the poor bloke.

 

[The Final Word]

I know nothing about knees but perhaps spending 12 months walking around on the knee before starting any sort of training would be beneficial? Does the body take time to get used to its new knees?

You start walking around on it unaided from, maybe 3-4 weeks post surgery. Training is balanced and gradually increases over time. The information in the medical world is definitely not protected and there would be little difference to the program that Menzel would be on compared with, say Josh Hunt or David Wojcinski.

 

[The Final Word]

Would the footy list gurus know if:
1. DM is uncontracted next year, and
2. if there is anything to prevent us delisting him and signing to a rookie contract next season?

 

[Willo_]

Neale Daniher. Missed pretty much bang on four years.

The Ox did 3 or 4 knees? Might be worth Menz talking to him (for the mental side I mean, and he may already have), I read today he came back and won a B&F... Not all is lost

 

[Jmac2225]

Would the footy list gurus know if:
1. DM is uncontracted next year, and
2. if there is anything to prevent us delisting him and signing to a rookie contract next season?

Signed a 3 year deal at the start of 2012.