Star St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton is eyeing a remarkable recovery after dual heart problems left his career in limbo
Dylan Roberton feared his career was over after battling a serious condition which saw his heart rate jump to more than 280 beats per minute. However, a trip to the US has changed everything.
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Dylan Roberton is on track to make a miraculous comeback from a serious heart problem next season.
The gun defender has received conditional clearance from a world-leading cardiologist to reignite his career in 2020.
Roberton’s career was feared over after he collapsed in a game in Round 4 last year and then suffered a second serious scare after a pre-season game against Western Bulldogs on March 10.
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After the second problem, Roberton’s heart rate is believed to have skyrocketed to 280-300 beats per minute.
The star backman was sidelined for the entire home and away season as the club embarked on some exhaustive tests to help resolve the issue.
Recently, Roberton flew to the United States to see a top cardiologist for another round of examinations which has paved the way for the rebounding backman to attempt a senior return next season.
Importantly, the specialist is adamant Roberton is safe to recommence playing football, subject to close monitoring, medication, and approvals from the AFL, club medical staff, integrity committee and the Saints’ board.
Roberton, 28, and the club are working to finalise some insurance arrangements to formalise his plans to play on.
While he will continue to undergo constant assessment, the conditional clearance is a massive relief for Roberton and a huge boost for the Saints as they attempt to climb the ladder next season.
Roberton is one of the best rebounding defenders in the AFL, having finished runner-up in the club’s best and fairest in his last full season in 2017.
The 128-game linebreaker worried he would never play again after the second scare in the JLT game.
It took a significant emotional toll on the Dandenong product, who was in tears in the MCG change rooms as his teammates romped to a resounding 40-point win over Melbourne in Round 5.
Roberton said this year his problem revolved around trying to stabilise his heart rate after exercise.
“Your max heart rate is meant to be 220 minus your age or something. After the (pre-season) game it sort of got up to 280-300,” Roberton said.
“It’s more my heart rate trying to settle back down from exercise.
“When I’m actually up at the highest level and I’m working really hard it’s fine. It’s just as it’s trying to recover it sort of gets out of whack a bit.”
St Kilda last week poached AFL game trends guru David Rath to become the Saints’ new head of football programs for next season, one month after snaring Hawthorn premiership forward Jarryd Roughead.
The Saints have big plans in this trade period as the club looks to pull off deals for Sydney’s Zak Jones, Fremantle’s Bradley Hill and Adelaide backman Alex Keath.
Josh Bruce is set to move to Western Bulldogs, Jack Steven is seeking a move to Geelong, while Jack Newnes could find a new home as a free agent.
While Roberton would have to work hard to improve his fitness levels, he looms as a key addition for St Kilda once he has re-established top conditioning.
Roberton, who has three children, said he wanted to exhaust all avenues in an attempt to resume his career.
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“I feel like now I’m on the medication, I’ve got the defib in, and it went off, so that sort of gives me confidence that it works,” Roberton said.
“So if anything does happen, I’m sort of safe. Which is probably a strange way to look at it.
“The word I’ve used a lot is frustrating that they can’t sort of figure it out.
“Every time you go back you think they are (doctors) going to have an answer for you, but they are scratching their heads.
“Hopefully with the year off they’ll be able to dig a bit deeper.”
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