Daniel Menzel stars in his comeback for Geelong in loss to Collingwood
DANIEL Menzel said he played his comeback game in his head every day for four years but never thought it would turn out as it did last night.
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DANIEL Menzel said he played his comeback game in his head every day for four years but never thought it would turn out as it did last night.
On a night Geelong bowed out of finals calculations, Menzel’s return from four knee reconstructions provided a brilliant silver lining.
The exciting forward kicked four goals and 20 disposals in his first AFL game in 1448 days.
“It was a pretty special feeling to be back out there with the boys running around,” Menzel said on SEN radio on Saturday.
“I’ve dreamed about it for so many days and you picture every single day what game it will be and how it will go, but I certainly didn’t picture that.
“I knew that my body would hold up, I’ve put so much work in.
“At the end of the game it was a bit disappointing by my physio came up to me and said, ‘Mate, I know you’re disappointed at the moment butjust take a moment to be really proud of what we’ve achieved here’, and I guess it’s starting to sink in today.”
Former coach Mark Thompson, now a media commentator, said he “nearly had a tear in my eye” watching Menzel play, and the 23-year-old said the support from the footy world in the past week had been overwhelming.
“I was amazed in the last 48-72 hours how many messages I got ... the amount of AFL players that messaged me or tweeted me as well as the general footy public, people saying, ‘I don’t barrack for Geelong but I hope you do well’, it’s pretty overwhelming.”
He said he was “pretty sore in the legs” the morning after his amazing comeback.
“The knee itself was pretty sore after the game last night but it actually feels like it pulled up pretty well. I’ll take a few days to recover but I’ll be fine mid-week.”
The 48-point loss to Collingwood means Geelong will sit out September for the first time since Menzel was 14. But the footy world expects Paddy Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson and Scott Selwood to feature in the Cats’ next appearance – and we can officially add Menzel’s name to that glittering list of recruits.
Because on a night where his teammates couldn’t catch a cold, Menzel was hot, hot hot as the lowest crowd between these clubs in 16 years watched the Menzel magic show unfold.
Menzel was on from the opening bounce when he sprinted into the centre square, won a handball and followed up with a ferocious second effort.
And his night peaked in the last quarter when the No.10 soared above Tom Langdon to pull down an old-fashioned speccy and back it up with a set-shot goal from 45m.
In total there were four majors, a career-high 20 disposals and three inside-50s.
Those numbers were clearly the Cats’ best, but they didn’t go close to telling the story.
A big broom could sweep through the Cats’ veterans this week and if Stevie Johnson is told to clean his locker Menzel is the perfect replacement.
Has there been a better return from a serious knee injury since Peter Hudson helicoptered into Waverley Park in 1973 to boot eight goals?
Menzel’s first mark was a beautifully timed springy leap from the ground, clutching the Sherrin with outstretched arms at the highest point in front of Matthew Scharenberg. Poise.
His first goal was whacked through from four steps standing on the 50m line. Class.
His blind snap from the boundary line in the second quarter was on target before being rushed through. Magic.
And his agility, clear self-belief in his body and dazzling goal sense almost belittled the mental and physical trauma he has endured. Resilience.
When Menzel found space opposed to Scott Pendlebury to drill Geelong’s second goal he had already slotted 2.1 (13).
Unfortunately for him, not a single other Cat had hit the scoreboard and Collingwood already led by 50 points.
An insight into this gem’s mindset was given pre-game by mum, Cathy.
“(Daniel) has said, ‘If it (my knee) goes again mum, I’ll try again’,” she told SEN.
“He’s extremely determined and I think he would go again if it happened again.”
On the rare occasion Menzel lost his feet last night the heart skipped a beat, and while those moments of panic might continue he looked as sturdy as ever.
There were some fitting moments in the first quarter, too.
Like Scharenberg walking to Menzel at the first bounce. The supremely talented Magpies teenager has already undergone a knee reconstruction and surgery on both his feet.
And like luckless ruckman Nathan Vardy handballing to Menzel when the man of the minute wound onto his right leg and unleashed a crisp goal from the 50m line to open Geelong’s account.
Vardy was then the first of every Cat to mob Menzel, iconic give the hundreds of hours and heartbreaking moments that pair would have spent isolated from their mates and trapped in rehabilitation together.
Menzel’s last two full games – both against the Magpies – have netted 37 disposals and 9.4.
Bring on the rest.
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