Western Bulldog Mitch Wallis isn’t letting the pain of missing the club’s finals campaign show
INJURED Western Bulldogs midfielder Mitch Wallis isn’t letting his time on the sidelines derail his excitement for Grand Final week.
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INJURED Western Bulldogs midfielder Mitch Wallis isn’t letting his time on the sidelines derail his excitement for Grand Final week.
After suffering a horrific broken leg in Round 18, Wallis has watched on as the Bulldogs have risen from seventh to qualify for the biggest game of the year.
He has joined Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy who has also been a September viewer after suffering an ACL injury in Round 3.
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However, the pair has been intent on making sure they are the perfect teammates.
“It is not about us, it is about the club,” Wallis said.
“I have eaten at his (Murphy’s) house a couple of times over the last month. We have been leaning on each other. Bob loves the club. From my point of view, I know that it isn’t going to be our last finals campaign.
“It is more, what impact can we have on the players. We have got to want the players to have us there and put them in the frame of mind to get the best out of themselves.
“The most important thing at the moment is getting the 22 players playing on the weekend in the right frame of mind to do the best they can.”
Wallis’ injury allowed him to share Saturday’s nail-biting win against Greater Western Sydney with his father Stephen.
Stephen played 261 games for the Bulldogs.
Mitch said it was a special experience to see his father so excited.
“He actually sang the song on the plane on the way home,” Wallis said on Fox Footy.
“I have never seen my father like that. Good on him for doing it.
“The last month he has really enjoyed being a supporter again. When I’m playing he is worried about me getting a kick.
“To wear his Bulldogs scarf and cheer as loud as any other supporter is pretty special and even for me to share it with him. I’ve been a supporter for 23 years. To experience that with him was very special.”
After injuring his leg in July, Wallis said he is still yet to watch footage of the incident, although he knows at some point he will have to.
The 93-gamer is scheduled for more surgery in December and targeting a return in early to mid-2017.
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“The first month, the pain was extraordinary. The six week scan was really promising. I’m back doing weights and squatting and things like that.
“I’ve got more surgery coming in December. From there we will project how far. I see myself having a big role in the team next year whether that is in the early core of the season or half way through the season. As much as it hurts me I just have to be patient.”
Originally published as Western Bulldog Mitch Wallis isn’t letting the pain of missing the club’s finals campaign show
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