‘Toughest days of my life’: Heartbroken Ashcroft plots resurgent return

They have been “the toughest days” of Will Ashcroft’s life.

Clutching at his knee in agony, forced to come to terms with how a season of so much promise was derailed in a split second, the ordeal threatened to send him into a spiral.

“It all happened so quickly,” the Brisbane Lions rookie recalls of the night his meteoric rise was prematurely cut down.

Will Ashcroft’s season ended against Geelong when he suffered an ACL injury.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images

“I live to play in the big games, the big moments ... it was tough to know it’s going to be a long road ahead, and I was going to miss this finals series.”

Watching on as hundreds of kids became immersed in the Rebels Rookies sporting clinic, taking them through a variety of drills, Ashcroft could not help but be envious.

Leading up to Brisbane’s Round 19 clash against Geelong, the 19-year-old was being touted as the frontrunner for the AFL’s Rising Star mantle.

Averaging 22.1 disposals and 3.6 clearances a game, the midfielder loomed as a major threat for the Lions’ finals campaign.

But in one moment, it all came crashing down. He clutched his knee in agony on the Gabba turf.

Ashcroft went through a variety of stages: immediate concern, unsure of the extent of the damage, followed by heartbreak of the news a ruptured ACL had now stripped him of a maiden finals campaign.

Now, he stands determined to emerge from his recovery phase - typically between nine and 12 months - as a far more damaging prospect.

“I’m improving day to day, it’s been very hard mentally - that night and those days after it were some of the toughest days of my life, to be honest,” Ashcroft admitted.

“Now I’m sort of progressing into understanding the situation and what it is, and now I’m on this path to find the silver linings and positives out of it.

Ashcroft hobbles off, but has vowed to come back better than ever.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images

“So I’m just trying to tap into that, make sure my knee comes back stronger than ever and my whole body.

“I’ve got an opportunity to really do some good work, work on my running, work on my muscles, all that sort of stuff, so I can come back in the best shape of my life and be ready in year two and beyond to take my game to the next level.”

Following his knee surgery, Ashcroft remained in Melbourne with his family - including father and three-time premiership winner Marcus.

Will Ashcroft remained in Melbourne following his surgery to be surrounded by his family.Credit: Getty Images

He needed that time. Unable to get out of his own head, he sought solace in using his setback as a motivator for his loved ones.

Although he was confident he would be able to recapture his form, Ashcroft said in time he would lean on teammates Cam Rayner and Eric Hipwood – each of whom have been felled by ACL injuries in the past.

But he said his family had kept him from wallowing in despair for too long, and would continue to be key in maintaining his positive mental wellbeing as his recovery stretched into months.

Inspiring the next generation

Ashcroft admits to feeling “isolated” in the past month.

Unable to take part in the Lions surge towards the grand final, he has been left to ponder what might have been from the sidelines.

It in part fuelled his desire to take part in the Rebels Rookies program, a clinic that has engaged almost 300 Brisbane kids in a host of sports.

Lions rookie Ashcroft signs autographs at the Rebel Rookies clinic.

The likes of former Brisbane Broncos winger David Mead and Brisbane Roar A-League Women’s midfielder Hollie Palmer have also taken part, aiming to inspire a new generation of athletes at Coorparoo’s Griffin Park.

“A lot of people get caught up in the video games and staying at home, and they’re not doing stuff outdoors these days, so it’s awesome to see so many eager young kids here participating in all these sports,” Ashcroft said.

While club-based participation has increased - AFL Queensland announcing last month an all-time community record of more than 68,000 players - one leading medical expert believes fewer kids engaging in recreational activity has contributed to a larger number of long-term injuries.

In a study released last year by The Lancet Regional Health, a 20-year investigation into knee injury diagnosis trends in Australian hospitals found a 10.4 per cent annual growth rate for ACL injury incidences among boys aged 5-14, and 7.3 per cent among girls of the same demographic.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Steve Lawrie said there had been a worldwide increase in the number of young people falling victim.

He said with fewer youngsters remained active away from club demands, so their bodies were not being taught to withstand the rigours sport can place on them.

Will Ashcroft was a fan favourite at the Rebel Rookies clinic.

“They just don’t have the same number of hours running around kicking a footy, playing cricket on weekends, afternoons and nights, that happened in the past,” Lawrie said.

“When kids were doing those things, they were learning or improving ... they were getting better control, jumping and mucking around.”

Ashcroft the businessman

At just 19, Ashcroft has sought not only to help rectify this problem, but also announce himself as a budding entrepreneur.

He and two partners launched Wash Performance and Wellbeing late last year, with their app released just two weeks ago.

Will Ashcroft has been expanding his business while recovering from his ACL rupture.Credit: Getty

The initiative outlines elite programs, resources and modules for aspiring sportspeople to get the best out of themselves, and live an active lifestyle.

“I think probably four or five years ago I had the idea, and I was pretty fortunate with my dad playing footy and having a lot of knowledge, and mum being in the sporting world and educational world,” Ashcroft said.

“They had a lot of good things to pass on to me and I always had access to great facilities to do my training.

“My thinking was not all kids have that opportunity, and I was in a privileged position, so trying to create this all-in-one app is the goal.”

Ashcroft said having the venture to focus on throughout his rehabilitation had been crucial in keeping his mental demons at bay since injuring his knee.

He said the long-term plan was for the business to develop to the point where his post-playing career was well established.

“It’s pretty good to stay away from footy and out of my own head a bit, invest my time and try to start pushing that out to where we want it to get to.

“It’s been really good for my mental wellbeing; it’s almost practising what you’re preaching in a way.”