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O'Loughlin almost ready to weave his magic
By TIM MORRISSEY
September 12, 2003
WHILE the Sydney Swans were starring in their own mission impossible against Port Adelaide last Sunday ? 1400km away Michael O'Loughlin was home alone screaming his lungs out.
The footy he'd been handballing to himself was in danger of flying out the loungeroom window or, worse still, through the television screen he was glued to.
"I got a bit nervy I suppose when the two Cornes boys [Chad and Kane] kicked the last two goals of the third quarter and I thought to myself, 'Oh no here we go'," O'Loughlin said.
"But the boys stuck to their guns and played great footy. There was a lot of screaming on the couch ? fortunately it was only me.
"Well except for the neighbours next door . . . I worried they were going to call the police."
O'Loughlin was not only incredibly proud of his teammates' phenomenal achievement, he was also enormously relieved.
The heroic win gave O'Loughlin an extra week to get over the torn hamstring he suffered in the game against Melbourne two weeks ago.
He is still only a 50/50 chance to play in the preliminary final at Telstra Stadium tomorrow week.
But after watching the effort his teammates displayed in to hold on to a 12-point win over the minor premiers at AAMI Stadium the player they call "Magic" is more determined than ever to get back.
O'Loughlin who continues to receive intensive daily physiotherapy has done everything right, medically, on his hamstring.
The rest is up to his body's own healing ability and the powers of positive thinking which O'Loughlin believes is showing some effect.
"Coming to training on Monday I was feeling great seeing all the boys and congratulating them on the win," he said.
"I've done everything I can. Hopefully my body will respond help with the healing. I've been positive all the way through it. That's all you can do.
"The first five days were crucial getting the ice on and getting all the fluid out
"Next week is really the test for me whether I'll be right or not."
The star full forward went for his jog on Wednesday since tearing his hamstring which was another positive step for both the Swans and O'Loughlin.
"I had a bit of a slow jog," he said. "Well it was more like a shuffle I couldn't do that a couple of days ago that was a real positive and brightens your outlook up."
O'Loughlin desperately wants to play in the prelim final after struggling to cope with the mixed emotions of the Port win, however, he doesn't ant to be a liability either.
If he can sprint flat out consistently by next Friday he believes he'll be right to play.
Otherwise O'Loughlin will be screaming his lungs out again this time at Telstra and praying the Swans season continues for another week and another chance to play this time in the grand final.
By TIM MORRISSEY
September 12, 2003
WHILE the Sydney Swans were starring in their own mission impossible against Port Adelaide last Sunday ? 1400km away Michael O'Loughlin was home alone screaming his lungs out.
The footy he'd been handballing to himself was in danger of flying out the loungeroom window or, worse still, through the television screen he was glued to.
"I got a bit nervy I suppose when the two Cornes boys [Chad and Kane] kicked the last two goals of the third quarter and I thought to myself, 'Oh no here we go'," O'Loughlin said.
"But the boys stuck to their guns and played great footy. There was a lot of screaming on the couch ? fortunately it was only me.
"Well except for the neighbours next door . . . I worried they were going to call the police."
O'Loughlin was not only incredibly proud of his teammates' phenomenal achievement, he was also enormously relieved.
The heroic win gave O'Loughlin an extra week to get over the torn hamstring he suffered in the game against Melbourne two weeks ago.
He is still only a 50/50 chance to play in the preliminary final at Telstra Stadium tomorrow week.
But after watching the effort his teammates displayed in to hold on to a 12-point win over the minor premiers at AAMI Stadium the player they call "Magic" is more determined than ever to get back.
O'Loughlin who continues to receive intensive daily physiotherapy has done everything right, medically, on his hamstring.
The rest is up to his body's own healing ability and the powers of positive thinking which O'Loughlin believes is showing some effect.
"Coming to training on Monday I was feeling great seeing all the boys and congratulating them on the win," he said.
"I've done everything I can. Hopefully my body will respond help with the healing. I've been positive all the way through it. That's all you can do.
"The first five days were crucial getting the ice on and getting all the fluid out
"Next week is really the test for me whether I'll be right or not."
The star full forward went for his jog on Wednesday since tearing his hamstring which was another positive step for both the Swans and O'Loughlin.
"I had a bit of a slow jog," he said. "Well it was more like a shuffle I couldn't do that a couple of days ago that was a real positive and brightens your outlook up."
O'Loughlin desperately wants to play in the prelim final after struggling to cope with the mixed emotions of the Port win, however, he doesn't ant to be a liability either.
If he can sprint flat out consistently by next Friday he believes he'll be right to play.
Otherwise O'Loughlin will be screaming his lungs out again this time at Telstra and praying the Swans season continues for another week and another chance to play this time in the grand final.
