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O'Loughlin reflects
11:48:58 AM Tue 23 December, 2003
Karen Collins
afl.com.au
Sydney Swans star forward Michael O?Loughlin had a 2003 that included many highs but also a few lows.
A return to form after suffering a bout of tendonitis in the early part of the season lifted his spirits, but it was cruelly taken away with minutes remaining in the final home-and-away match of the season.
Minutes from commencing Sydney?s finals preparation, the 26-year-old tore his hamstring with a regulation run after the ball towards the end of the match against Melbourne. Though he remained hopeful of returning, the dream of playing in a premiership was over, his season cut dramatically short.
?I have seen the replay a couple of times and it doesn?t look very good. It looks like a sniper shot me (from) the grandstand,? O?Loughlin told afl.com.au.
?It was a very sharp pain and that is all I can remember, it was very painful. As soon as I did it I knew I had done something pretty bad and it was a pretty decent tear in there as well.?
?I just thought ?oh no not now?, especially how the boys had been playing very well. Leading into the finals the next week was very disappointing.?
?I tried to stay optimistic about coming back and doing the right thing and get as much physiotherapy and see the doctor as much as possible and try to start jogging on it as soon as possible so I certainly didn?t leave any stone unturned.?
?I did everything but obviously the tear was too big and I couldn?t get up for that last game (preliminary final) that we played against Brisbane at Telstra Stadium.?
Up to that point, his recovery from the early-season tendonitis was achieved in fine style, with 41 goals from 16 matches.
?I thought it was one of my best years for a year and a half,? O?Loughlin told afl.com.au.
?I had a pretty disappointing 2002 with form and injury but I thought 2003 was fantastic and I certainly needed it.?
?It was good to be back on the goal-kicking board I suppose, just to kick goals helping your team out and playing well.?
While admitting to be a confidence player, O?Loughlin said the left-knee tendonitis he suffered also benefited him.
?Playing back in the forward line and not playing up in the midfield as often as I have in the past certainly helped (my form) a bit.?
?I also had a knee injury which restricted my running so I didn?t have the aerobic capacity to run around the ground so it probably ended up being a bonus.?
?When I first hurt my knee I thought ?oh here we go I am going to have a disastrous year? but it turned out all right.?
A two-month holiday from football - spent in South America with Adam Goodes ? has freshened up the two-time All-Australian and although the knee is still troubling him, he hopes to be fully fit for round one.
Quite apart from his personal achievements, the pinnacle for Magic happened off the field, when his ?brother?, Goodes, won the Brownlow Medal.
?Fantastic, fantastic, unbelievable, just speechless,? O?Loughlin said describing how he felt.
Being able to watch Goodes win the prestigious medal made him extremely happy.
?The last two years he has just come on in leaps and bounds. He is one of the hardest workers out on the track when we train and in everything (he) prepares himself very, very well compared to when he first got here.?
?He is just going to be a very, very good player. It wouldn?t surprise me if he wins another Brownlow, that?s how good he is. He is only 23 so I am expecting another big year from Adam.?
11:48:58 AM Tue 23 December, 2003
Karen Collins
afl.com.au
Sydney Swans star forward Michael O?Loughlin had a 2003 that included many highs but also a few lows.
A return to form after suffering a bout of tendonitis in the early part of the season lifted his spirits, but it was cruelly taken away with minutes remaining in the final home-and-away match of the season.
Minutes from commencing Sydney?s finals preparation, the 26-year-old tore his hamstring with a regulation run after the ball towards the end of the match against Melbourne. Though he remained hopeful of returning, the dream of playing in a premiership was over, his season cut dramatically short.
?I have seen the replay a couple of times and it doesn?t look very good. It looks like a sniper shot me (from) the grandstand,? O?Loughlin told afl.com.au.
?It was a very sharp pain and that is all I can remember, it was very painful. As soon as I did it I knew I had done something pretty bad and it was a pretty decent tear in there as well.?
?I just thought ?oh no not now?, especially how the boys had been playing very well. Leading into the finals the next week was very disappointing.?
?I tried to stay optimistic about coming back and doing the right thing and get as much physiotherapy and see the doctor as much as possible and try to start jogging on it as soon as possible so I certainly didn?t leave any stone unturned.?
?I did everything but obviously the tear was too big and I couldn?t get up for that last game (preliminary final) that we played against Brisbane at Telstra Stadium.?
Up to that point, his recovery from the early-season tendonitis was achieved in fine style, with 41 goals from 16 matches.
?I thought it was one of my best years for a year and a half,? O?Loughlin told afl.com.au.
?I had a pretty disappointing 2002 with form and injury but I thought 2003 was fantastic and I certainly needed it.?
?It was good to be back on the goal-kicking board I suppose, just to kick goals helping your team out and playing well.?
While admitting to be a confidence player, O?Loughlin said the left-knee tendonitis he suffered also benefited him.
?Playing back in the forward line and not playing up in the midfield as often as I have in the past certainly helped (my form) a bit.?
?I also had a knee injury which restricted my running so I didn?t have the aerobic capacity to run around the ground so it probably ended up being a bonus.?
?When I first hurt my knee I thought ?oh here we go I am going to have a disastrous year? but it turned out all right.?
A two-month holiday from football - spent in South America with Adam Goodes ? has freshened up the two-time All-Australian and although the knee is still troubling him, he hopes to be fully fit for round one.
Quite apart from his personal achievements, the pinnacle for Magic happened off the field, when his ?brother?, Goodes, won the Brownlow Medal.
?Fantastic, fantastic, unbelievable, just speechless,? O?Loughlin said describing how he felt.
Being able to watch Goodes win the prestigious medal made him extremely happy.
?The last two years he has just come on in leaps and bounds. He is one of the hardest workers out on the track when we train and in everything (he) prepares himself very, very well compared to when he first got here.?
?He is just going to be a very, very good player. It wouldn?t surprise me if he wins another Brownlow, that?s how good he is. He is only 23 so I am expecting another big year from Adam.?
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