Gold Coast Suns player Izak Rankine opens up about hamstring injuries and his dream of making his AFL debut

“It was the worst watching other players my age, who were in the same draft and who I grew up playing with and against, seeing them fulfil their dream and play AFL.” Suns player Izak Rankine opens up about the injuries that scuppered his maiden season at Gold Coast and how it is driving him towards 2020.

IZAK Rankine never took football for granted, but he certainly appreciates it on a whole new level now.

Rankine stood on stage at the national draft for the second year in a row only weeks ago, this time presenting the guernsey to no. 1 draft selection Matt Rowell alongside teammate Jack Lukosius.

It came 12 months after the highly touted talent was selected by Gold Coast with pick 3 but both Rankine and Rowell are both imagining the same thing – making their AFL debut.

Izak Rankine in action during a Gold Coast Suns AFL training session at Metricon Stadium on December 09, 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

Rankine, 19, had Suns fans rubbing their hands together when he arrived because of the skill and flare he brought to the game but two hamstring injuries meant he was only sighted during the pre-season and at NEAFL level.

“Before the draft I never really had problems with my body in terms of injuries and I didn’t really miss any games,” Rankine said.

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“I came here and did my hamstring twice. It was the worst watching other players my age, who were in the same draft and who I grew up playing with and against, seeing them fulfil their dream and play AFL during the season. It was a big eye-opener.”

It burned Rankine inside and ignited his desire to ensure 2020 would be his time to prove himself on the biggest stage.

“It was tough at times but I was just thinking about next year and making sure I got my body right,” Rankine said.

Izak Rankine in action during a Gold Coast Suns AFL training session at Metricon Stadium on December 09, 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

“I looked at it in a positive way and more in the sense of I get to learn a lot more off field and become more professional off field so I can play the best footy I can.”

“It was about making sure you eat right, get enough sleep and coming into training and doing the extra stuff and being a lot more mature than I was.

“I have grown as a person and getting more respectful of what I have. It’s not that I took anything for granted but when you stop playing what you love, you start to look at the little things and what people do for you.

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“I’m so excited to play, I can’t wait to play.

“I just make sure I get right to give me the best chance to play Round 1. Playing a single game next year is what I’ll look forward to the most.

“Getting out on the park and playing football again. I don’t want to look too far and hopefully I don’t get injured again.”

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Rankine said fellow Sun and housemate Sean Lemmens, who dealt with his own problems in the form of ankle injuries, had been a crucial mentor throughout his opening stages in the AFL system along with the club’s entire high performance squad.

The South Australian has been training with the rest of the team throughout the pre-season, only being taken out of around one drill per session as the club manages his hamstrings that he said were in strong order.