Palm Beach-Currumbin QAFL co-captain Jon Croad details the lengthy road to recovery from compound fractures

Jonathan Croad entered ‘survival mode’ as bone protruded from his leg. 12 months later he returned to the footy field and hasn’t looked back. Inside his inspiring comeback tale.

Palm Beach-Currumbin QAFL co-captain Jon Croad. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail.

Jonathan Croad entered ‘survival mode’ as he lay on the turf in agony, bone protruding from his leg.

The 2023 QAFL season was just 10 seconds old, but for Croad it was over as quickly as it had begun.

He had sustained a double compound fracture to his tibia and fibula.

“It was pretty bad, I think your body goes into a bit of shock,” Croad said.

“I was laying on the ground for 45 minutes before the ambulance came. I just had to put myself into survival mode so I didn’t stress myself out too much.”

The Palm Beach-Currumbin stalwart recalled the seconds leading up to the harrowing incident, which occurred after the first centre bounce in the Lions round one clash with Surfers Paradise last season.

“I did the ruck contest and then split out to the wing to receive another kick and the ball did a little funny bounce,” Croad said.

“Someone was chasing me, he did like one of those (hip drop) tackles you see in the NRL and all his weight went straight onto my calf and snapped it like a pencil.”

Jon Croad being stretchered from the field after his horror injury. Pic Mike Batterham

What followed was one of the greatest challenges Croad had faced in his 32 years of living.

“It was a pretty lengthy recovery,” he said.

“I got the metal rod in my knee with the screws and the pins … I was non weight-bearing for 12 weeks, I was in bed for four months.

“There were some pretty dark days going along there for a while.”

Off the field the timing couldn’t have been worse for Croad, who had just started a new decking business. He described what followed as “massive financial heartache”.

“It’s stressful in itself doing that and then you get injured … you’ve got your own family and work to worry about as well,” he said.

“I do have a business partner, he kept it going but it was a pretty big struggle, you always get through some way or another and we did, that was probably due to everyone around the footy club.

“They all just gather around you and chip in and help out where they can.”

Palm Beach Currumbin Lions QAFL player Jon Croad was told he would never play again after breaking his tibia and fibula. He came back anyway. Pictures: Highflyer Images

Fortunately for Croad, this is far more than a simple hard luck story. More an inspiring comeback tale.

An incident could have easily served as a cruel and untimely curtain on his footy career was instead a beacon of hope amid the dark depths of despair.

The thought of a return to the footy field kept Croad going when he didn’t think he could.

“You can go one way or another, you can go down the dark hole or look to drive yourself and push to get back, that was what was driving me,” he said.

“Everyone didn’t think I was going to come back and play again, I think that was a bit of drive in my mind to get back and play because everyone was writing me off. I felt as though I had a lot more to give and I didn’t want to go out on that.

“I put in a bit of work and got myself right … because the rods in there the leg’s structurally sound.

“I could’ve easily given it up but I had something inside me that wanted to keep going.”

He also felt indebted to the Palm Beach-Currumbin Football Club.

“I thought I owed it to the club, they got around me so I wanted to give something back to them,” Croad said.

Palm Beach Currumbin Lions QAFL player Jon Croad. Pictures: Highflyer Images

Inspirationally, he managed to get himself right for a round one return this season, exactly 12 months after the incident.

“The body’s an amazing thing, if you put your mind to it and put the work in you can get to where you want to be,” he said.

“I had a late pre-season then got back into it after Christmas and built slowly and slowly and got ready for round one which was good.

“I didn’t think I was going to be ready for round one but I got back in time which was good.”

The addition of former AFL journeyman Tom Hickey – who has been a monster addition – has allowed Croad to shift to a new forward role that’s less demanding on his leg than consistently leaping in ruck contests, however he still pinch hits in the ruck to help out.

“I’m not really a forward, I’m learning to play the ropes down there,” he said.

The Lions co-captain made a fine start to the season down forward, booting 10 goals across his first three outings including a bag of five in the wet against Maroochydore in round five.

All up, he’s bagged 18 goals so far.

“I started okay, kicked a couple here and there, now I’m starting to play my role and be a big target down the line and create a contest,” Croad said.

Palm Beach-Currumbin coach and former AFL player David Armitage couldn’t speak highly enough of Croad and his influence on the club.

“He helped out around the club why he wasn’t playing and still came into meetings,” Armitage said.

“There’s a reason why he’s co-captain. He leads by example and the boys feed off him.

“He looks really dangerous when we get some good deep entries. He’s been brilliant for us and stood up when we needed him.

“He’s a real spiritual leader, he’s a physical player.

“He demands respect by the way he works and how physical he is.”