‘I felt pins and needles and then I noticed the snap’: Footballer shares story after horror leg snap

A Territory footballer whose leg snapped only five minutes into the second quarter of a game is now in recovery, and shared his nail biting story.

• Bone in footy player’s leg severed during freak on-field accident

IT was only five minutes into the second quarter when Ngukurr footballer Calas Dai went to kick the ball and instead ended up with a horror leg snap and a six month road to recovery.

The right footer from Thursday Island, playing in just his fourth game of footy, was making a break down the left flank of Kalano Oval after taking a mark.

But as he adjusted to make a kick Dai was tackled and in the contact his left fibula snapped above the ankle.

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The ambulance arrived 15 minutes later but remained for up to an hour with the game against Garrak called off as a result. Dai was originally treated in Katherine hospital before being moved to Royal Darwin Hospital.

“I was in the middle of running the ball after taking a mark and as I went to kick the ball I got taken out,” Dai said.

Calas Dai snapped his ankle while playing for Ngukurr in the BRFL. He is currently in rehab at RDH at the start of his long journey back to recovery. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“It was weird, before it happened I sort of went blank. I felt pins and needles and then I noticed the snap.

“Apparently people from around the crowd heard a snap like a gunshot. I’ve played a lot of sport but never expected an injury like this.

“The surgery went well. They pushed the bone back when we were in Katherine and did the rest including skin grafting in Darwin.”

Ngukurr manager Paul Amarant has been involved in the Katherine game for more than four decades and deemed the injury as the worst he had seen. “I was one of the first to him. We were stunned seeing him there but knew it was bad from the snap,” Amarant said.

Calas Dai snapped his ankle while playing for Ngukurr in the BRFL. He is currently in rehab at RDH at the start of his long journey back to recovery. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“We looked and though his sock was covering we could see the bone protruding. I’ve seen many injuries but this was the worst.

“He came out to work in the community, knew the boys and was gradually learning the game. He’s in high spirits though and wants to still be involved in the club in some way when he recovers.

“Everyone was just in shock. The game was called off and even those who didn’t see were talking about it.”

Dai is expected to remain in hospital for the next four-six weeks with his rehabilitation expected to last six months.