AFL 2024: Former Adelaide Crows captain Rory Sloane details the torture of his recent eye surgery

Former Crows captain Rory Sloane was rushed in for emergency surgery on a detached retina last week. Now we know exactly what happened – and it’s not pretty. WARNING: Graphic.

Former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane could return to physical activity next week as the veteran opened up about his latest eye surgery and the “torture” it entails.

Sloane was rushed in for emergency surgery on a detached retina last week after experiencing symptoms following training.

It is the sixth eye injury of his career and the second time he has had a detached retina on the same eye.

The playing future of the 33-year-old is unclear, with Sloane set to see a specialist this week for a post-surgical review to determine any return-to-training plan.

The Crows said on Monday that Sloane would not train this week.

If he does get the all clear then Sloane could start a gradual return to physical activity program from next week, although it is unclear just what this will look like.

In an Instagram video Sloane – who is out of contract at the end of this year – detailed what had happened, using wife Belinda to describe his retina.

Sloane also revealed the gruesome surgery he had to endure.

Adelaide Crows star Rory Sloane took to social media to detail his recent eye surgery. Picture: Instagram

And it didn’t sound like much fun. Picture: Instagram

“Your retina is like your favourite Tracks mag poster, you know the one with the hot bikini girl on it, maybe a cowboy hat on, let’s call it Belinda for names sake,” he said.

“So Belinda is stuck on a wall and it is starting to come off and there is fluid in behind … so what you need to do is stick it back on the wall because if Belinda falls down and goes to the ground you lose your eyesight.

“So to do that they torture you, they pin you down, eye open and inject you with a couple of locals to make sure you don’t feel a thing.

“Then they use a dry ice gun to stick that poster back on the wall and to keep the torture going they take out some of the fluid … and then they use an even bigger needle and they inject your eye with a gas bubble.

“The way that gas bubble works it to make sure your retina or that poster of Belinda is stuck against the wall, like a spirit level.”

Sloane is able to lie on his back and move around after his surgery, which he said was lucky.

“So I’ve heard of some weird things like people being face down for seven days and on their side for seven days, that was me last time,” he said.

Sloane will see a specialist this week to work out a possible return plan. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Young midfielder Jake Soligo trained indoors at West Lakes on Monday after suffering an ankle injury last week.

Crows high performance manager Darren Burgess said scans had confirmed no structural damage for Soligo.

“He trained on the bike today and we are hopeful he can resume running next week based on how his ankle responds in coming days,” Burgess said.

“That will give us a clearer indication of when he will be able to return to training with the main group.”

Defenders Jordon Butts and Wayne Milera have both started rehabilitation from hamstring injuries.

Milera ran on Monday, a week after he re-injured his hamstring, while Butts is expected to run at Wednesday’s session.

Both are considered two to three weeks away from rejoining main training for the Crows.