SANFL star Mani Liddy overcomes shock health scare to pilot Bulldogs’ midfield charge

Central District star Mani Liddy has revealed the shocking reason he has been forced to wear a protective white leg sleeve in the SANFL, writes Andrew Capel.

Mani Liddy shudders to think where he might be if he had waited any longer to go to hospital.

“When the doctor told me that I was lucky I came in when I did, a lot went through my mind,’’ the star Central District midfielder said.

“You could see the infection climbing up my leg, my groin turned red, and the doc said there’s a gland high up in your groin and if that gets infected you are pretty much stuffed.

“Things got pretty serious there for a while, so I was lucky I didn’t wait any longer to go to hospital because I was thinking of putting it off and that things would be alright, which clearly wasn’t the case.’’

Liddy’s right leg became badly infected late last season after an innocuous incident in a Round 15 clash against Norwood at The Parade.

“I fell on the back of an opponent’s boot, his sprig, and split my knee, just to the inside of the knee cap,’’ he recalled.

“It was just like a little nick, so I went down to the rooms at three-quarter-time to get it stitched, had about five stitches, went back on and played out the game.’’

Central District’s Mani Liddy at training at Elizabeth Oval this week. Picture: Keryn Stevens

The Bulldogs lost but Liddy’s problems were just beginning.

He attended a Central gala dinner that night but left early because of the pain in his knee.

“The next day it turned a little bit red and was pretty sore, so I was put on antibiotics, but a couple of days later it really blew up,’’ he explained.

“The knee became really red, blew up like a balloon, and was pretty painful. You could virtually see the infection climbing up my leg and it felt like every time I stood up there was someone wrapping a chain around my leg and squeezing it.’’

Liddy checked into the emergency department at Gawler Health Service four days after his injury before transferring to Lyell McEwin Hospital at Elizabeth Vale for surgery.

He spent 48 hours in hospital after having emergency surgery to clean out the knee and treat the infection, which included increasing his dose of antibiotics.

Liddy said doctors had indicated to him that if he’d waited much longer to be treated he might have lost his leg.

“Luckily they were able to treat the infection just in time,’’ he said.

The scar that runs across Mani Liddy’s right knee. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Liddy missed five games, including the qualifying final against his former club Sturt, following his surgery as the wound, which required 18 stitches during the second operation, healed.

He returned to play wearing a long, white leg sleeve to protect the tender scar and prevent it from splitting open and bleeding when he hits the turf.

Nine months after his gruesome injury, which could have made him gun-shy, Liddy – a former state under-18 captain – is enjoying a career-best season.

The 23-year-old has averaged 24 disposals in the opening five rounds – seven more than his previous career-best of 17 in his debut season with the Double Blues in 2021 – and is joint leader of The Advertiser SANFL Player of the Year voting.

Liddy, who also is averaging five marks, four clearances, four tackles and a goal, has polled eight votes from The Advertiser football writers, along with Adelaide ruckman Lachlan McAndrew and Eagles midfielder Kobe Mutch.

He has been instrumental in the Bulldogs’ strong 4-1 start to the season and will on Saturday play the 50th league game of his rollercoaster career, which started with Sturt and saw him move to Central three years ago after he struggled to break into the Double Blues’ powerful midfield.

Mani Liddy in full stride, wearing his protective leg sleeve, against North Adelaide at Prospect Oval in Round 3. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

Mani Liddy celebrates kicking his third goal against North Adelaide in Round 3. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

“It was a tough decision to leave Sturt because I had been there since I was 13 and the club did a lot for me,’’ Liddy said.

“But Central was keen to get me across and I probably needed a change, the chance to play regular league football (he played only nine league games in two years for the Double Blues), and the move’s been good for me.’’

The 185cm Liddy attributes his improved form this season to “a mix of things’’, including being part of a young, exciting Dogs midfield, his growing maturity and experience and improving his running in the off-season, which included pounding the pavement while on holiday in Dubai with teammate Wilson Barry.

He shaved 30 seconds off his personal-best for the 2km time trial, running 6 minutes, 15 seconds.

After being overlooked by AFL clubs in his draft year, Liddy is hoping to join the growing number of mature-age players who find AFL homes.

“I’m happy to let my footy do the talking but I still have aspirations to play in the AFL and if an opportunity pops up I’ll grab it with both hands,’’ he said.

Originally published as SANFL star Mani Liddy overcomes shock health scare to pilot Bulldogs’ midfield charge