How Matildas star Sam Kerr can help injured Gold Coast Suns AFLW player Emma Pittman

Injury setbacks helped Sam Kerr become one of the most dominant forces in world football and Gold Coast Suns AFLW coach David Lake says recruit Emma Pittman can do the same.

INJURY setbacks helped Sam Kerr become one of the most dominant forces in world football and Gold Coast Suns AFLW coach David Lake says recruit Emma Pittman can do the same.

Kerr was at the heart of the Matildas’ World Cup campaign in France, scoring a hat-trick against Jamaica.

The 25-year-old has been public about her battle with injury and how she nearly missed the 2015 World Cup.

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Stripping her game back and finding a way to improve in the darkest of times paved the way for her to become the player she is now and Lake said it’s something he has voiced to Suns AFLW recruit Pittman who is working her way back from her own major injury.

Paige Parker and Emma Pittman (right) at Gold Coast Suns Ladies Lunch at Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Main Beach. Picture: Regina King (copyright restrictions apply 07 55322193). Pic for Peter and Regina Column GC Bulletin

Pittman ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while playing for Coorparoo against Coolangatta in Round 3 of the QAFLW at the start of May and could miss the 2020 AFLW season.

“Sam had to strip it all back when she spent time in rehab,” Lake said.

Emma Pittman of the Lions celebrates her first match with teammates after the Lions win during the AFLW round 4 match between the Brisbane Lions and the Fremantle Dockers at South Pine Sports Complex in Brisbane, Saturday, February 24, 2018. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

“She had a lot of time to think about (the player) she wanted to be. If she continued how she was then she could be a good soccer player or she could change the way she went about things and become the best soccer player in the world.

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“I was trying to relate that to Emma Pittman and the journey she is on currently.

“Watching her six or seven weeks in and how she has stripped herself back in the same way and how she has embarked on getting herself ready.

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“You can see a lot of similarities (between them) and it’s a good story for someone like Emma to look at Kerr and say ‘I can do that right now and become a better player’.”

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