TonyK
CibbuanoHentschel close to a return
May 28th 2008 22:52
ADELAIDE forward Trent Hentschel may be just one strong SANFL performance away from earning an AFL recall after suffering a horrific knee injury in 2006.
Hentschel played well in defence in his first game back with SANFL side Woodville West Torrens last week and will be given some time to get used to all the various collisions and stresses placed on his reconstructed knee.
Adelaide coach Neil Craig said that Hentschel's movement was very close to what he had shown in 2006.
“What I do know is his movement from what I've seen on the training track is nearly as good as what it was before he got injured,” Craig said.
“He's worked extremely hard, had to show unbelievable resilience and courage to keep going, which so many times he could've said 'No'.
“Now he's playing league footy he's at a stage now where his selection will be dictated on performance, which is great for Trent - it would be a great story for footy if Trent was able to play AFL footy again.”
Meanwhile, the future of fellow knee victim Rhett Biglands, who is recovering from a second successive knee reconstruction, remains clouded.
The 30-year-old is facing an uphill battle to play AFL football again, with the likes of Ivan Maric, Kurt Tippett and Jonathon Griffin making light of Adelaide's lack of established ruckman.
But Craig said the club wouldn't be making any decisions on Biglands' future at this stage and his sole focus should be on his rehabilitation.
“That one's up in the air, it's a second knee reconstruction, he's now back and working just as hard as he did for the first one,” Craig said.
“It would be foolhardy both for Rhett and our club to make any decisions right now, I think he'd agree with that, just let that pan out.
“The most important thing for Rhett is to get his knee back into shape so it doesn't affect his lifestyle.”
Hentschel played well in defence in his first game back with SANFL side Woodville West Torrens last week and will be given some time to get used to all the various collisions and stresses placed on his reconstructed knee.
Adelaide coach Neil Craig said that Hentschel's movement was very close to what he had shown in 2006.
“What I do know is his movement from what I've seen on the training track is nearly as good as what it was before he got injured,” Craig said.
“He's worked extremely hard, had to show unbelievable resilience and courage to keep going, which so many times he could've said 'No'.
“Now he's playing league footy he's at a stage now where his selection will be dictated on performance, which is great for Trent - it would be a great story for footy if Trent was able to play AFL footy again.”
Meanwhile, the future of fellow knee victim Rhett Biglands, who is recovering from a second successive knee reconstruction, remains clouded.
The 30-year-old is facing an uphill battle to play AFL football again, with the likes of Ivan Maric, Kurt Tippett and Jonathon Griffin making light of Adelaide's lack of established ruckman.
But Craig said the club wouldn't be making any decisions on Biglands' future at this stage and his sole focus should be on his rehabilitation.
“That one's up in the air, it's a second knee reconstruction, he's now back and working just as hard as he did for the first one,” Craig said.
“It would be foolhardy both for Rhett and our club to make any decisions right now, I think he'd agree with that, just let that pan out.
“The most important thing for Rhett is to get his knee back into shape so it doesn't affect his lifestyle.”
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