An injection gone wrong could see Daniel Menzel sidelined for the rest of the 2018 season
AN injection gone wrong to forward Daniel Menzel has left the Geelong medical team puzzled and the man himself struggling to walk at times. Now he is in danger of missing the rest of 2018.
Geelong
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AN injection gone wrong could see out-of-contract Geelong forward Daniel Menzel sidelined for the rest of the season.
The Herald Sun can reveal Menzel, 26, received two cortisone injections directly into his groin before the Round 6 clash against Sydney.
The jabs have led to debilitating complications that has left the Cats medical team puzzled and searching for answers.
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It is unclear whether the injections were administered at the club’s GMHBA Stadium headquarters or at an off-site medical clinic.
After fighting back from four knee reconstructions, Menzel rediscovered some of his career-best form in the early rounds and sat fifth in the Coleman Medal after Round 5.
But Menzel struggled to walk shortly after the injections and remains unable to train six weeks on.
It is understood the Cats are considering booking Menzel in for exploratory surgery, which would almost certainly end his season.
Even if Menzel avoids going under the knife, he is set to miss the majority of the season waiting for the rare condition to settle.
There is no specific timeline on Menzel’s return, partly because no AFL player is believed to have suffered from this condition in the modern era.
“This is a bizarre situation that is hard to get clarity on,” Cats coach Chris Scott said this month.
The luckless forward appeared to adequately be managing groin soreness early in the year.
Menzel slotted 15.9 in the first five rounds and the Cats’ scoring has worryingly dried up in his absence.
The Cats were averaging 96 points per game with Menzel in the first five rounds and were ranked No. 1 for scoring once inside 50m.
Since he has been out they are averaging just 70 points per game and are ranked 18th for scoring once inside 50m with Menzel’s absence shaping as a big blow for their premiership hopes.
Menzel’s day-to-day life has been affected and his inability to walk at times, let alone run, is also decreasing his fitness levels.
A confidence player, Menzel would need to return to training for several weeks before he could be considered for selection at VFL or AFL level.
Another bout of surgery would put Menzel back into rehabilitation for several months and could diminish his appeal to rival clubs as an unrestricted free agent.
Menzel is among the game’s most underpaid players and was contracted on well under $200,000 in 2018 after a lack of interest from outside Geelong last October.
Scott said after Menzel bagged 5.3 against St Kilda in Round 4 that his medical history limited him to one-year deals.
“I think everyone’s crystal-clear when it comes to Dan, and I feel for him, but he just can’t expect that any club’s going to commit to him for the long term,” Scott said.
“Because there just so many doubts over his body, and none of them are his fault. It’s just the unfortunate situation he’s in.”
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Originally published as An injection gone wrong could see Daniel Menzel sidelined for the rest of the 2018 season
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