TAC Cup: John Roumeliotis overcomes three knee reconstructions to debut for Calder Cannons

JOHN Roumeliotis has lost count of the number of times people have told him his football career will be a case of third time lucky.

John Roumeliotis is mobbed by his teammates after kicking a goal on debut. Picture: Graham Denholm.

JOHN Roumeliotis has lost count of the number of times people have told him his football career will be a case of third time lucky.

Roumeliotis has been one of the hardluck stories at Calder Cannons in the past three years, suffering three knee injuries and spending more than three years on the sidelines.

The club rewarded his diligent rehabilitation by offering him one of the 19-year-old spots on its list for 2018 and he finally made his TAC Cup debut on Saturday against Greater Western Victoria Rebels.

“I was really nervous at the start,” Roumeliotis said.

“But after I got my hands on the ball I felt a lot better and I was just rapt to be out there.”

Playing out of the goal square, Roumeliotis’ crowning moment came when he kicked his first goal for Calder.

Within seconds, his teammates swarmed from everywhere to congratulate the Essendon Doutta Stars junior on a moment he thought may never arrive.

“I won’t forget it. I couldn’t see anything, the boys were just everywhere,” he said.

“I couldn’t even see grass.”

John Roumeliotis pulls down a hanger on his TAC Cup debut. Picture: Graham Denholm.

Roumeliotis first felt the pain of a serious knee injury when he was 16, injured while being bumped while landing after a marking contest.

He was leading and twisted when his right leg gave way for a second time.

The most devastating blow came two days before he was due to debut for the Cannons in 2017, when he heard his leg snap five minutes before the end of training.

He knew instantly he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament again.

“The first one, I had no clue at all,” the 19-year-old said.

“I just knew I’d done something bad because I heard a lot of cracks.

“The second and third I knew. The third one I knew straight away.

“I heard it snap, and everything, and I remembered the feeling.

“Everyone was trying to say ‘don’t worry about it’ but I just knew, deep down, what it was.”

On the drive home that night, Roumeliotis thought about giving up for the first time.

“I wasn’t sure about continuing with footy,” he said.

“The next day I woke up to get the MRI and I was like ‘I’ll give it one more crack’ and see where I go with it.”

The support of AFL players Daniel Menzel and Clay Smith — who have endured a combined seven knee reconstructions — helped the Airport West resident through a gruelling recovery.

“I ended up emailing Menzel and he got back to me and said to just keep persisting and I would be all right,” he said.

“I met up with Clay Smith as well. He tried to give me tips on how to beat it. I had to keep thinking positively the whole time.”

Roumeliotis was handed his Calder jumper by his dad Paul and grandpa Spiro in an emotional presentation two days before he ran out with his teammates for the first time.

“They have been everywhere with me,” he said.

“Dad has been through it all. He takes me to every training session, he doesn’t want to miss out on anything.”

John Roumeliotis (#41) runs out for his TAC Cup debut. Picture: Sharon Ouliaris.

Roumeliotis has inherited that same attitude from his father, steeled by the agony of being robbed of three years of his career.

The forward/on-baller said he was determined to reward the friends, family and teammates who had supported him.

“My first two I wasn’t too bad and my third one was playing with me a lot,” he said.

“When I did it, everyday my mates were at my house trying to cheer me up.

“Mum and dad probably copped it the most. I was really down. Just trying to keep me positive all the time.”

Roumeliotis said he was surprised to have been retained by the Cannons for three years despite his injury battles.

The club understandably took a cautious approach with his return, limiting him to 28 per cent game time against the Rebels.

In that short period, Roumeliotis booted a goal those who have endured his pain alongside him will never forget, mobbed by his teammates in a heartwarming show of solidarity.