How Erin Phillips overcame mental demons to complete her successful rehab from an ACL injury

Adelaide Crows AFLW star Erin Phillips has spoken of the hard times during her recovery from a serious knee injury but says her love of the game helped her to return.

13/01/20 – Crows AFLW training at West Lakes. Captain Erin Phillips first time running on grass since her knee injury. Picture: Tom Huntley

• Look who’s back at the Crows
• How to make the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription

Crows star Erin Phillips has revealed there were times in the past 11 months when she questioned whether she would return from her left knee reconstruction.

Finally ready to resume her glittering AFLW career against Carlton at Richmond Oval on Sunday, Phillips said there were moments in her recovery when she considered pulling the pin on her football.

“There were definitely days where it just seemed really hard,” the former basketball star, 34, said.

Stream over 50 sports live & anytime on your TV or favourite device with KAYO SPORTS. The biggest Aussie sports and the best from overseas. Just $25/month. No lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial >

“I was over in the USA, I had a full-time job coaching, have three kids and was getting up really early hours to do rehab and missing those hours with them.

“Some days I felt like my leg was 100 per cent and could play the next day and the very next day I felt like I’d gone two weeks back.

Crows co-captain Erin Phillips during her rehab from a knee injury. Picture: Tom Huntley

“So it was definitely a mental challenge and days where I felt, ‘God, this is really tough’.

“But I love footy, I’ve always loved footy and have grown up in a football family.

“It’s been kind of who I am, what I have been a part of my whole life.

“So whether I play one game or 20 more games it’s been great to know this, all the rehab, has been worth it to get back.”

The AFLW’s best player and only dual league best and fairest winner will make her comeback 327 days after surgery against the side she broke down against in last year’s grand final.

“That is a bit funny and it will be another great game,” she said.

“Hopefully I last more than two-and-a-half quarters this time.”

Phillips missed the first three rounds of the season – she had targeted round one as her comeback date – as the club insisted she tick every box in her recovery.

“It was frustrating (missing the start of the season) because you want your rehab to go perfectly but unfortunately it just doesn’t work like that,’’ she said.

“There are always little setbacks along the way, but they were only minor, and now I’ve got the consistency in my training that I needed.

“Game simulation, repetition, change of direction stuff, tackling, bodywork, they were pretty much the last pieces for me to get through and I feel really good now.’’

Phillips said she expected to play without game time restrictions on Sunday.

“I might be a bit rusty but I’ll go out there and play my guts out,

leave it all on the field,” Phillips said.

“I’m playing every single game like it’s going to be my last.”

Phillips will be joined in her comeback by Crows ruck Rhiannon Metcalfe, who resumed in the SANFLW last week after missing the entire 2019 campaign following her own knee reconstruction.

Originally published as How Erin Phillips overcame mental demons to complete her successful rehab from an ACL injury