Daniel Menzel says fake turf at Etihad Stadium contributed to ankle injury
DANIEL Menzel says the synthetic turf at Etihad Stadium contributed to an ankle injury that could rule him out of next week’s showdown against the Western Bulldogs.
Geelong
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INJURY-cursed Geelong forward Daniel Menzel says the synthetic turf at Etihad Stadium contributed to an ankle injury that could rule him out of next week’s top-four showdown against the Western Bulldogs.
Menzel, who kicked four goals in Geelong’s win against North Melbourne, sent a scare through the Cats camp when he slid into the fence following a marking attempt in the second quarter.
He is set to have scans this week to determine the severity of the injury, but Menzel said after the match he believed he had torn his ankle ligaments.
“It’s disappointing, to be honest, because I feel like the astro turf here at Etihad Stadium has played a role in it,” Menzel told radio station K rock.
The fake grass lines the fence, starting about 1 metre over the boundary line.
Menzel, who has returned this year after four knee reconstructions, was able to play on with the help of painkillers.
“I could just not move and we were very close to calling it quits, they said, ‘Mate, you can’t play with this’.
“Then, really pleasing, one of the doctors said, ‘We can give you some pain relief and numb it, and see how you go’.
“So, I moved around and then went how there, and they just said, ‘You’ve got to keep moving. As soon as you stop you won’t be able to walk’. Hence why I didn’t go into the three-quarter time huddle and I didn’t come off.”
Menzel was struggling to walk in the rooms after the match with his ankle heavily strapped to stop swelling.
Coach Chris Scott was more optimistic about Menzel’s diagnosis.
“He rolled his ankle early in the game and looked a little sore, but he came back and played really well so we’re optimistic that that will be OK,” he said.
Originally published as Daniel Menzel says fake turf at Etihad Stadium contributed to ankle injury
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