One stat, one injury and a great time: Nathan Buckley’s footy comeback

Nathan Buckley talks about his footy comeback, at 50, with Nilma Darnum in the Ellinbank league — and the exact moment he heard a “pop’’.

Nathan Buckley playing for Nilma Darnum against Catani as part of the Carlton Draft on Sunday. Picture: Ian Currie

“It was probably the nine best minutes the footy club has ever seen,” Nilma Darnum coach Paul Alger joked in the rooms after Sunday’s game.

Nathan Buckley’s return to playing, at the age of 50, with Nilma Darnum lasted just short of 10 minutes, the Collingwood great injuring his left hamstring in the opening quarter of the game against Catani.

There was more pain when Bucks’ Bombers, after leading for most of the game, lost by two points, their dream of snapping a 34-game losing streak thwarted at end.

Nathan Buckley runs out with Nilma Darnum. Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images for Bursty PR

Despite the set backs, Buckley had a ball, lapping up the country footy environment, his new teammates and a healthy sized crowd.

“The experience was awesome,’’ he said on his SEN morning radio show on Monday.

“To get to know some of the boys and to rub shoulders with them, I really enjoyed the opportunity. I feel like I got so much more out of it than what I gave.’’

Buckley said he strained a groin while training with Nilma Darnum on Thursday night and “re-nicked’’ it in the warm up on Sunday.

“And I was doing almost nothing,’’ he quipped.

“In the first five or six minutes I laid a tackle, I was happy with that.

“I got a handball but I actually didn’t get my fist to it, it was a throw. It was a Crow throw. But I got a handball on the stats sheet.’’

Nathan Buckley shoots out a handball. Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images for Bursty PR

Nathan Buckley grabs his hamstring which he injured 10 minutes into the first quarter with him then leaving the field shortly afterwards. Picture: Ian Currie

Buckley said he injured his hamstring while reaching down to pick up the ball.

“I went down and got it over my left leg and that’s when it popped,’’ he said.

“That’s exactly what it sounded like in my ears.’’

It was a muddy arm wrestle between the bottom two sides in the Ellinbank league, on a country ground surrounded by paddocks and cows.

You couldn’t get any more grassroots for Buckley’s playing comeback — 17 years after retiring from the AFL.

Nathan Buckley trots off with a hamstring injury. Picture: Ian Currie

Bucks clicked into coach mode. Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images for Bursty PR

He didn’t miss a target in the warm up and looked a million bucks — until he hobbled off. It was the end of his day as a player, but he quickly clicked into coach mode, doing his best to inspire the Bombers.

But, alas, Nilma Darnum, after leading by 19 points at halftime, was nabbed late by Catani, 14.8 (92) to 13.12 (90).

Jalen Atkins, James Williams and Thomas Keily kicked three goals each for Catani, while Cody Banbury and Brett Williams were outstanding for the winners.

Blake Cann had the Nilma Darnum crowd roaring in the second quarter when he kicked two goals in less than a minute, celebratring with a spectacular forward somersault.

Nathan Campbell, Nick Carrigy, Sage Tapner and skipper Oxley Huson were named the Bombers’ best.

Alger said Buckley’s influence around the team was immense.

“It’s been awesome,” he said.

“For him to come down on Thursday night and hang around to help the under 16s, come into the rooms and just give knowledge out on the bench was helpful to all our players. We’ll take that forward with us for the rest of the season and beyond.”