GWS defender Nick Haynes set to play in elimination final despite respiratory risks
GWS Giants star Nick Haynes is set for a stunning comeback from a voice box fracture, with specialists confident his breathing won’t be compromised.
GWS
Don't miss out on the headlines from GWS. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Beware the footballer with the raspy voice.
Rugby league fans have long luxuriated in the deeds of gravel talkers such as Darren Lockyer and Gary Larson, and now the AFL has its own Giant tale.
GWS backman Nick Haynes appears set to make a stunning comeback to face the Western Bulldogs in Saturday’s elimination final after spending the past three weeks getting his voice box back in tune.
Haynes suffered a fractured cricoid in the penultimate match of the regular season thanks to a high shot from none other than the Bulldogs’ biggest star, Marcus Bontempelli, who went unpunished for the incident.
Coach Leon Cameron warned Haynes must be “95 per cent” before before he will consider unleashing him against the Western Bulldogs but said having the luxury of 40 fit players to choose from is a massive boost ahead of Saturday’s do-or-die clash.
“He’s progressing,” Cameron said. “We only had a light run today. Tomorrow, we’ve got a huge session. He’s ticking most boxes. He’ll again the specialist today or tomorrow but everything’s progressing in the right manner. But he hadn’t actually trained fully yet.
“If he pulls up well Wednesday and gets a tick from the people that need to tick him off then we’ll select him Thursday If not, he then won’t play.
“If we don’t think he’s at least 95 percent plus then we’re not going to play him.
“Indicators are heading in the right direction but there’s still 48 hours to go before he select the team.
“Clearly he’s in our best 22 so it would be a fantastic boost to get him back.”
It’s an unusual affliction but the bizarre injury could have been much worse.
Liam Jones from Carlton was ruled out for the season after a similar knock.
Although the risk factors appear comparatively low for Haynes, who was struggling to breathe at the time, there is a degree of danger involved for him in coming back so soon.
Regarded as one of the AFL’s most courageous defenders, Haynes is preparing to put his body on the line for an inclusion that could swing the elimination final in the Giants’ favour — such is his influence at the back.
“The usual best-case scenario is probably four weeks back to contact,” NRL physio Brien Seeney said.
“Three weeks would be on the lesser end. If they’re even thinking that in the first place, the fracture must be really, really minor.”
Stream every match of the 2019 Toyota AFL Finals Series before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial and start streaming instantly >
The saviour for Haynes and the Giants appears to be the fact his fracture is his cricoid and not his larynx.
Most athletes who suffered this injury would have their voices permanently changed as a result, and would require corrective surgery after the season if they ever wanted it back.
Haynes was unable to communicate in the days following the Bontempelli bump, but the Giants said his old voice was starting to return.
“It’s come good pretty quickly so far and that’s actually what they go on, the symptoms as opposed to the scans,” GWS football boss, Wayne Campbell said.
“It’s how he’s feeling, how sore it’s, what his voice is like – and that’s improved reasonably quickly.
“He’s got great courage. He reads the ball off the boot really well. Uses the ball well when he marks it. We’re a much better side with him in the team.
“It’s all reasonably positive. Just need to get that final tick from the specialist.”
Haynes will see a specialist later in the week but is expected to be cleared for a full contact session on Thursday.
Cameron said the signs were also positive for Brett Deledio but with so many players returning to fitness threre were no selection guarantees for anyone.
“Cogs (this week he’s not playing). But if we happen to go deeper into September then he’s definitely a chance to put his hand up.”
Cameron said the week off had come at a good time for the Giants.
“Finals footy is a different season, we all understand that. Our players have got lots of energy. We’ve got 40 players to pick from. We haven’t that for most of the year. That’s great and it means the pressure’s on for spots,” he said.
“It’s exciting times but we understand that when the ball bounces on Saturday at 3.20 it means nothing if you can’t back it up and we come up against the most in-form side in the completion in the Bulldogs and we have to turn around a 10 goal deficit from two weeks ago.
“We’re under no illusions how tough it’s going to be.
“I think it’s going to be a cracking match.”