Carl Teusner may play in Adelaide Footy League grand final for Trinity Old Scholars — two weeks after opponent broke his jaw
TWO weeks ago, Carl Teusner’s jaw was broken by a footy thug. But he is now “feeling pretty good” and hoping to play in a grand final tomorrow with Trinity Old Scholars, which is chasing its first A-grade flag.
- Police investigating footy hit that shattered player Carl Teusner’s jaw
- Salisbury West player Adam Jones reported four times in one game
TWO weeks after a footy thug broke his jaw, Carl Teusner has put his hand up to play in a grand final.
Teusner, 29, was this week named in Trinity Old Scholars’ squad of 24 to face Rosewater in the Adelaide Footy League’s division six decider at Thebarton Oval on Saturday.
The Lions will name their final 22 about midday tomorrow.
If the fullback takes to the field, he will do so with a plate underneath his gum and four screws in it from a three-hour surgery, and having not eaten solid foods for a fortnight, as a result of Salisbury West player Adam Jones kneeing him in the jaw during a qualifying final on August 18.
Jones, found guilty by the tribunal of four offences from the match, last week received a 27-game league suspension that led to a life ban.
On Thursday night, Teusner trained for the first time since his injury and asked to be considered for selection, in the hope of helping Trinity win its first A-grade premiership — a decision that not everyone in his family was happy about.
“Mum (Kirstin) would rather I didn’t play … and my girlfriend (Alysia) is a bit worried but my Dad (Charles) just says ‘you’re big and ugly enough to know the risk’,” Teusner says.
“I basically decided this is my eighth surgery playing football to try to get to this point, I know the risk I’m taking that I could potentially break it again.
“I know if I go out there, I can’t just come off when it hurts — I’ve got to stay out there.
“The last two or three days, I’ve felt a lot better.
“The swelling has gone down. It’s not normal yet but pretty close to it.
“Overall it (jaw) is feeling pretty good.”
Teusner has lost about 6kg since undergoing surgery because of his liquid diet, which he has to maintain for another couple of weeks.
“I’m a bit over pumpkin soups,” he says.
Watching Trinity beat Fitzroy by 37 points in Saturday’s preliminary final motivated Teusner to do everything he could to be on the field tomorrow.
He has played 170-odd games for Trinity since his debut in 2007, previously been the club’s president and had two knee reconstructions while playing footy.
Given what he has been through and the fact the club is yet to win an A-grade grand final, claiming a flag “would mean a hell of a lot”.
“That was the reason I took on the president role — to do everything possible in my power to help us win the first one (premiership),” he says.
“To be part of that first one for the club would be pretty special.”
Trinity coach Stephen Couzner said he would not make the call on the final 22 until about midday tomorrow because one player was under an injury cloud going into the game.
“Carl’s a tough one because he’s given a lot to our group,” Couzner said.
“We’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out.”