Recruit Johann Wagner’s traditional effort rewarded — regardless of a sore knee

NOT even an injured knee stopped Central District player and reality television contestant Johann Wagner following tradition over the weekend.

NOT even an injured knee stopped Central District player and reality television contestant Johann Wagner following tradition over the weekend.

The Port Lincoln 23-year-old got down on his injured knee on Saturday night and proposed to girlfriend Kiah Eldridge at the Grand Chancellor Hotel in the city.

It turned out to be worth the effort for the contestant on Foxtel show The Recruit — which has guaranteed one AFL contract to a group of mature-age hopefuls from across the country.

Eldridge said “yes”.

“I got down on my sore knee and popped the question with my knee brace on,’’ Wagner said.

“Thankfully I didn’t have to stay down there for too long because she said ‘yes’ pretty much straight away.”

Wagner again featured prominently on the The Recruit on Wednesday night, kicking four goals in a match against a prison side in Victoria.

The entry of an Irishman and a US player in Wednesday’s episode means there are still 13 contestants in the running to be drafted on the Fox 8 show’s final episode on September 19.

Wagner, who injured a capsule at the back of his knee, had his first run since the injury on Thursday night and hopes to return to the Dogs line-up before the end of the season.

“It’s healing really well, so fingers crossed I can be back out there soon,” he said.