Cheltenham’s Josh Lai sprung back from injury to star on the Southern league’s biggest stage

Injury cost Josh Lai his 2023 season, but he made up for lost time on Sunday with a sparkling performance in Cheltenham’s Southern league premiership. He shares his recovery, bond with twin brother Sean and their state-league ambitions.

Josh Lai (L) and brother Sean helped Cheltenham lift its second successive flag. Picture: Cheltenham FNC

Josh Lai poetically sat on a trainers table with two medals around his neck and soaked it all in.

Cheltenham’s supremely talented young star had just lit up the Southern league Division 1 grand final in only his 12th senior game.

Lai’s daring run and carry was obvious to the almost 5000 people who piled into RSEA Park on Sunday.

But what wasn’t as obvious was the injury disappointment that led to that sparkling showing.

Lai played just six games across the under-19s and reserves last year before he was sidelined with a stress fracture in his foot.

He watched twin brother Sean break Cheltenham’s 87-year Division 1 premiership drought and missed his entire Year 12 season at Mentone Grammar.

With a premiership and best-afield medal draped around his neck, the disappointment of 2023 had quickly disappeared.

“I kept going through pre-season because we didn’t know what it was,” Lai said.

“I got a scan and I had a stress fracture, a bit of a ligament issue too and that took me out for pretty much the whole year.

“This off-season I was pretty limited, I got on top of it and played maybe my first eight games and then did the other foot, not as bad, just a bit of bone bruising.

“I was happy to see him (Sean) win last year but it wasn’t great to miss out, I also missed my whole Year 12 year of footy as well which sucked.

“It was good to make up for it this year and get the win.

“We only joined the club last year, so I didn’t realise how big of a drought it was and how much it meant to everyone, it’s great to do it again.”

Josh Lai (R) accepts the Jim Meneilly Medal for best on ground. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Once Lai got the green light to play, he hoped to immediately slot into the seniors.

He was made to earn his spot however, appearing in the under-19s and reserves first.

Lai admitted he wasn’t pleased to be held back but understood and then appreciated the decision.

“Now I am, at the time again I wasn’t happy,” he laughed.

“They made me start in the under-19s in my first game back because I hadn’t played in over a year.

“The next week I played in the ressies and then finally into the seniors, at the time I wasn’t happy but maybe it was why when I got in I felt like I belonged.”

Lai on the fly. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Josh wears No. 41 while Sean wears 42 – perhaps symbolic of Josh’s one-minute age advantage over his twin brother.

They’ve played together at East Sandringham, Hampton Rovers, Mentone Grammar and now at Cheltenham in a senior premiership.

Josh said his he and Sean always look for each other on the ground and will hope to do so again when they do a VFL pre-season at Richmond this summer.

“We’ve always played in the same team, when you’ve got the ball you always look for your brother, it’s pretty handy,” he said.

“I tell him I give it to him more but he would say the opposite, he was pretty good (today), he got a lot of attention from the other team, probably had a run-with role.

“He got loose a bit and did some damage.

“We are doing a pre-season at Richmond, hopefully we can get on the list and work from there.”

Josh’s brother Sean launches a kick. Picture: Andrew Batsch

Lai said coach Justin Pickering’s message to him this year has been simple: “Just go out there and play”.

And the now premiership coach singled out Lai as one of the players he was most proud of post-game.

“Joshy Lai has had an interrupted season with his foot but every game he’s had with us he’s been in our top three,” Pickering said.

“He can play footy but, time and time again, he puts his body on the line and that’s a credit to him.

“There’s guys who play their role but I thought his efforts when it counted were enormous.”

Captain Jack Worrell thinks Josh’s ascendancy into the side this year has lifted Sean and considers the Rosellas “lucky” to have been the Lai’s senior club of choice.

“I think Lazer, Seany, missed him (Josh) last year because he’s has come this year and Seany has found a bit of a pep in his step,” Worrell said.

“They’re both huge talents, they don’t lack confidence and we’re just lucky they’ve come to the Rosellas.”