Glenelg’s Tom Schott has made an amazing SANFL comeback after serious knee injury in 2019
Glenelg’s Tom Schott has proved a lot of people wrong after being told his career had an ‘80 per cent chance’ of being over in 2019. SEE YOUR ROUND 14 TEAMS HERE
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Tom Schott has defied the odds.
When the classy Glenelg utility was lying in a hospital bed last year after having his shredded left knee rebuilt, he was given only a 20 per cent chance of playing football again.
Now – after cruelly missing out on the Tigers’ drought-breaking premiership – Schott has not only shocked his surgeon and returned to the field but he is eyeing a shot at finals redemption.
“I’ve come a long way,’’ said Schott, who last week played his first league game since breaking down against his former club West Adelaide on August 17 last year.
“Just over a year ago, when my surgeon Matthew Liptak (former Glenelg and Crows rover) looked at my leg, he said it was so badly damaged that he gave me only a 20 per cent chance of playing again.
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“He said I’d been involved in a freakish incident and that he had never seen anything like it in sport, only in car crash victims. That was a bit confronting to hear.’’
Schott, 26, ruptured his anterior, medial and posterior cruciate ligaments in a seemingly innocuous incident at Glenelg Oval when he tried to avoid a tackle from West’s Jade Cleeland.
“I went to brace for contact, planted my left foot at full speed, it slipped out from under me and all my weight went through my knee and it just exploded,’’ Schott recalled.
“I looked down at my leg and from the knee down it was bent on a 45-degree angle. I’d dislocated my knee and ruptured just about everything in it, 95 per cent of it was out of place.
“Apart from the ruptured ACL, MCL, PCL and knee dislocation, I’d torn my lateral meniscus and, for good measure, the hamstring off the bone.
“The only part that was unaffected was my blood supply, which was lucky.’’
After the best two seasons of his career following his departure from West at the end of 2017, Schott was devastated at being told his career was probably over.
But he refused to bow to medical science.
“Hearing the bad news, as much as I was shattered at the time, it probably just motivated me to beat the odds,’’ Schott said.
“I remember lying in the hospital bed (at Flinders Private) the night of my surgery and saying to my girlfriend, Jessica, that I couldn’t wait for the Thursday night that ‘Stoney’ (Glenelg coach Mark Stone) tells the boys that I’m back in the league side.’’
That moment came last week when Schott was selected for his first league game in 13 months.
“Hearing the news was amazing, it felt so good that it’s hard to describe,’’ said Schott, who had 12 disposals and kicked a goal, leading to him being mobbed by teammates, against Central District in the Tigers’ thrilling one-point win at the Bay.
Schott, 190cm, had made his long-awaited comeback through the reserves in round six on August 2.
But he was off before half-time after copping a heavy knock and suffering a broken rib and punctured lung, which sidelined him for another month.
After two strong performances in the reserves, he finally got to hear the words that he had dreamt of from Stone.
Now Schott, who has never played in a premiership team, is hoping for the finals glory he missed out on last year.
“It would be the icing on the cake,’’ he said.
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DOGS’ GOLDEN ERA COMES TO AN END
An era will end at 2000s powerhouse Central District tomorrow when two of the club’s favourite sons pull the pin on their distinguished careers.
Former captain Trent Goodrem and ex vice-captain Kyle Jenner will retire after the Bulldogs’ home clash against ladder leader Woodville-West Torrens.
Both played in the club’s last premiership in 2010.
“They have been great players for our football club,’’ said long-time Central chief executive Kris Grant.
“We recruited Trent as a teenage project player from Sydney because we thought he had some talent and he turned into a fantastic servant who was renowned for his toughness.
“He played well in big games, was a Mr Fixit for us, and led by example with his fierce approach to the contest.
“And Kyle, who we got from Port Adelaide, also was a magnificent pick up for us.
“He is a magnificent reader of the game, a great user of the footy, and we think both players could make good coaches down the track.’’
Goodrem, 33, has played 239 games and kicked 145 goals since joining Central from New South Wales club East Coast Eagles in 2007.
The younger brother of famous Australian singer Delta Goodrem, Trent played in three consecutive premierships from 2008-10 at the end of a golden era for the Bulldogs when they won nine flags in 11 years.
The club’s Mr Fixit because of his ability to play in almost any position, although he was used mainly as a wingman, he was captain from 2015-19.
Goodrem won the Jack Oatey Medal as best afield in the 2009 grand final win against Sturt.
Goodrem’s great man Jenner, 34, played in the Bulldogs’ 2010 premiership side after starting his career at Port Adelaide, where he played 32 games in three seasons.
Jenner has played 195 games and kicked 96 goals for Central from 2009-20.
He was vice-captain from 2012-17 and, like Goodrem, has played in multiple positions.
The retirement of the two Dogs premiership players follows that of star Norwood ruckman Sam Baulderstone.
Dual premiership player Baulderstone, 29, will play his 137th and final SANFL game against West Adelaide at The Parade tonight.
He retires after eight seasons with Norwood, which included premierships in 2013 and 2014.
Several other experienced players are also expected to play their last SANFL games in the final home-and-away series this weekend as they brace for a big cut in next year’s salary cap because of the effects of COVID-19.
REDLEGS BIG MAN TO RETIRE
Norwood ruckman Sam Baulderstone will play his final game for the club on Friday night.
A dual premiership player and four-times The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year member, the Redlegs cult figure will retire after the home game against West Adelaide.
“The time’s right because my daughter was born last week and I’m really looking forward to spending more time with her and the family,’’ Baulderstone, 29, said of his decision to pull the pin.
“And my body isn’t what it used to be. Rarely have I gone into games this year not already bruised and sore.’’
The 200cm, 108kg Baulderstone will be remembered as one of Norwood and the SANFL’s great success stories.
He played junior football in Whyalla before moving to Adelaide to play for North Adelaide in 2008.
We’ll miss the "GO BAULDY' chants whenever he goes anywhere near the footy.
— Norwood FC (@NorwoodFC) September 23, 2020
We’ll miss his absolute commitment to the jumper every single week.
We’ll miss you, Sammy. â¤ï¸ðŸ’™
📰 READ - https://t.co/aLOIrNSW48#ThankYouSammy pic.twitter.com/18Pdl5CY9m
But he couldn’t get a league game and quit the SANFL after two years to play for Great Southern Football League club Mount Compass, where he spent three seasons.
He barely trained, admitted to being a fast food junkie and blew out to about 150kg.
But Norwood knew he had talent, invited him to training and he led its ruck division for eight years from 2013-20, playing in premierships in 2013 and 2014.
He has played 136 games for the Redlegs and was joint vice-captain this year.
“It’s been amazing because I’ve gone from kicking a footy in a paddock in the country to winning two SANFL premierships,’’ Baulderstone said.
“That sort of thing doesn’t happen every day.’’
The left-footed Baulderstone, a big disposal winner, was long scouted by AFL clubs but was never drafted.
He played one State game for SA.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better eight years of my life than I had at Norwood,” Baulderstone said.
Redlegs coach Jarrod Cotton described Baulderstone as “a champion for the football club’’.
“He is such a well-rounded player who has the ability to dominate a contest with his hit-outs to advantage and create clearances and then play like a midfielder with ball in hand,’’ he said.
EAGLES’ RECRUITS MAKING THEIR MARK
Woodville-West Torrens’ bold move to sign VFL stars James Tsitas and Sam Lowson before the SANFL’s transfer deadline on July 31 looks like paying big dividends.
The pair on Friday night against West Adelaide produced their best performances in an Eagles jumper since crossing the Victorian border following the abandonment of the VFL season because of COVID-19.
Tough former Geelong VFL midfielder Tsitas hit the ground running when he first played against the Bloods in round seven but he was at his scintillating best last Friday, being best-afield with 39 disposals, 10 clearances, 10 tackles and a goal.
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Former Coburg forward Lowson, who arrived in Adelaide later than Tsitas after originally being denied a work permit by SA Health, took time to find his feet in his first two games against top-four sides North Adelaide and Glenelg, failing to kick a goal.
But it all turned for him in the final 30 minutes against the Bloods.
Lowson kicked two goals in two minutes at the end of the third quarter and two more majors in the final term, to finish with four.
Eagles coach Jade Sheedy, who has done a superb job to take the club from missing the finals to minor premier in his first year in charge, praised the pair after Friday’s win.
He admitted the club took a punt in securing them midway through the season – they were forced to quarantine for 14 days – but believes they could be difference makers in the finals.
“They are great additions for us,’' said Sheedy.
“James is a professional who just takes his footy so seriously. He’s a personal trainer, so the condition he’s going to be in isn’t a worry because he looks after himself so well.
“And I just like how clean he is with the footy, in windy conditions that’s what stood out against West.
“Sam’s been building a lot of pressure on himself but I’ve just asked him to be that high-pressure player in the forward half.
“When he was touted as getting drafted it was all about his leg speed and ability to get at the opposition.
“I said just keep putting that pressure on and the goals will come and sure enough they did, which was a good reward for his efforts.’’
Sheedy paid tribute to his team for embracing the pair.
“Credit to the playing group because it’s not an ideal situation, or something you would normally do, to bring players into your club mid-season,’’ he said.
“But with COVID hitting, the ability to be able to do that – and other clubs have too – and let these kids play footy, hats off to the playing group because they have really embraced them and made them a part of the family, so it’s been easy for the two boys to fit in.’’
FIT-AGAIN HARTUNG LOOMS LARGE FOR ROOSTERS
While the Eagles have Tsitas and Lowson, former Hawthorn and North Melbourne speedster Billy Hartung looms as North Adelaide’s finals wildcard after a first SANFL season ruined by injury.
The club’s prized off-season recruit played in the opening two rounds before being sidelined for 10 weeks with a chronic back injury.
He returned for Saturday’s important game against Sturt at Unley Oval and was best-afield at half-time with 18 disposals and six marks.
But North fans had their heart in their mouths when Hartung collapsed to the ground three minutes into the third term and got up limping.
He did not return to the field as the Roosters kept the Double Blues at arm’s length to win by 31 points and wrap up second spot and the double chance in the finals.
“It was a bit of a scary moment there,’’ Roosters coach Jacob Surjan said.
But Surjan was all smiles after the game, revealing Hartung had only suffered a minor sprain and could have returned to play if scores had been closer.
“He just tweaked an ankle and I didn’t want to risk it because we have a few big weeks coming up,’’ he said.
“I felt we were in a commanding enough position to put him on ice early in the game, so we made that decision and thank goodness it was a good one.’’
Surjan said he was delighted with Hartung’s first half display and looked forward to him using his blistering speed on the wide expanses and expected fast track of Adelaide Oval in the finals.
“It’s a big deck at Adelaide Oval, we love playing there and it will suit Billy’s game because he’ll be able to use his huge running capacity to hopefully blow some teams up,’’ he said.
“He’s also a beautiful kick, so we were really excited to get Billy back into the team after his stint out and all North supporters can be really excited going into the finals knowing we are going to have another big runner on the outside who can use the ball well.’’
Surjan said he expected all three members of his leadership group – captain Alex Spina and vice-captains Andrew Moore and Tom Schwarz – to be fit for the team’s first final after they missed the win against Sturt with hamstring injuries.
PANTHERS ON THE PROWL
South Adelaide fans won’t want to hear it but the 2020 version looks as good a chance as any past Panther team to end the club’s 56-year premiership drought.
A great mix of experience, with Joey Haines and Matthew Broadbent in defence, skipper Joel Cross adding class in attack and a versatile and mobile ruckman in Paul Hunter are just starting to fill the gaps that good sides need in the major round.
Malcolm Karpany, if he can stay injury free, added spark to the midfield against Norwood, while Nic Schwarz, Hayden Sampson and Reece Milsom are getting stronger as the season progresses.
While not always getting a huge amount of disposals, the pressure that forwards Beau McCreery and Eamon Wilkinson put on opposing defenders also does not go unnoticed.
South coach Jarrad Wright, with a hint of satisfaction, declared the 74-point win against the Redlegs as his team’s best of the season.
“That was really impressive,’’ Wright said.
“That was definitely our best effort for the year, very workmanlike. But we need to maintain that effort with the finals coming and a game against North next week.’’
EAGLES “FIND ANOTHER ONE’’
The high-flying Eagles illustrated their enormous depth by blooding another promising teenager in the 13-goal dismantling of West Adelaide.
Nineteen-year-old Ben Jungfer, a Northern Territory product who has spent several years at the Eagles and played under-18s last year, made an excellent debut against the Bloods in defence, finishing with 19 disposals and laying five strong tackles.
“We’ve found another one,’’ Sheedy chirped after the game.
“He’s a nice footballer and has been playing some good footy in the reserves and probably would have got an opportunity earlier but for a few injuries.
“From what I’ve been told he was pretty close to getting drafted last year and he has the ability to play on talls and smalls.
“I was really pleased with his debut and it gives me a few more (selection) headaches, but I’m okay with that.’’
NO CIGAR, BUT BULLDOGS BARKING LOUDER
Central District coach Jeff Andrews could be forgiven for having mixed emotions on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs looked dead and buried early in the last quarter against premier Glenelg when they fell 18 points behind when Tigers small forward Darcy Bailey nailed his second goal from the 50m arc.
But, just like they did against Norwood two rounds ago, seventh-placed Central refused to roll over.
It found another gear and came home hard, hitting the front in time-on when Murray Stephenson goaled from a set shot only for an ice-cool Carl Nicholson to restore Glenelg’s lead 24 minutes into the final term.
But the Dogs kept coming, having the final two scoring shots – behinds to James Boyd and Jackson Kelly – and had the ball camped in their forward half in the dying minutes.
They finished with four more scoring shots, three more inside 50s, 18 more disposals and two more marks and tackles.
While Central, with just two wins and a draw for the season, will finish seventh, it took some significant steps forward in the second half of the season.
ROUND 13 SCOREBOARDS
NORTH 6.3 10.6 11.11 12.13 (85)
STURT 2.0 4.1 7.2 8.6 (54)
BEST – North: C. Combe, Hewett, Chalmers, Wigg, Allmond, Hartung, Jarman, C. Craig, Clisby. Sturt: Colquhoun, Lewis, Fahey-Sparks, Davis, Battersby, Wundke.
GOALS – North: W. Combe, Davies, Minervini, LeBois 2, Harvey, Ramsey, Chalmers, Hender. Sturt: Fahey-Sparks, McEntee 2, Johnson, Evans, Morrison, Grivell.
INJURIES – North: Hartung (ankle) Sturt: Page (hamstring), Johnson (head knock).
UMPIRES – Scott, Sboro, Schramm.
CROWD – 1165 at Unley Oval.
SOUTH 4.2 7.12 9.13 17.14 (116)
NORWOOD 3.1 3.2 4.4 6.6 (42)
BEST – South: Haines, Cross, Hunter, Schwarz, Sampson, Heaslip, Milsom, Broadbent, Karpany. Norwood: Rokahr, Spence, Douglas, Grigg.
GOALS – South: Cross, Bogle 3, Wilkinson, Cailotto, Hunter 2, McCreery, Horne, Haren, Schwarz, Overall. Norwood: Barry, Pinyon 2, Spence, Gerloff.
INJURIES – South: Horne (calf).
UMPIRES – Morgan, Sobieraj, Bowen.
CROWD – 1146 at Noarlunga Oval.
GLENELG 1.2 5.6 8.11 11.11 (77)
CENTRAL 3.4 4.8 6.11 10.16 (76)
BEST – Glenelg: Snook, Partington, Nicholson, Virgin, Park, Stretch, Slade. Central: J. Schiller, T. Schiller, Hoskin, Habel, Olsson, Boyd, Stephenson, Butcher.
GOALS – Glenelg: Snook, Partington, Bailey 2, Nicholson, Schott, Slade, Kluske, Park. Central: Butcher 3, Jenner, Stephenson 2, Barreau, O’Brien, Olsson.
UMPIRES – Hundertmark, Lewis, Bryce.
CROWD – 1362 at Glenelg Oval.
EAGLES 6.6 8.8 13.11 16.14 (110)
WEST 1.0 3.1 3.3 5.4 (34)
BEST – Eagles: Tsitas, Rowe, Sinor, Hall, Poole, Seymour, Lowson, Foote. West: Stevens, Schiller, Turner, Morrish.
GOALS – Eagles: Rowe 5, Lowson 4, Redden 2, Firns, J. Hayes, N. Hayes, Tsitas, Hall. West: Morrish 3, Johnson, Ellem.
INJURIES – Eagles: Jones (ankle). West: Levicki (knee).
UMPIRES – Harris, Millar, Crosby.
CROWD – 1352 at Richmond Oval.