One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on December 29, 2014, 10:55:56 AM
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Injured Tiger Chris Knights feared his career was over
Jennifer Phelan
afl.com.au
December 29, 2014 9:00 AM
CHRIS Knights thought he might never play football again when his long journey back from a serious knee injury hit another hurdle in mid-2014.
But the forgotten Richmond forward has overcome his latest setback – plus a quad injury that ended his year early – to again feel optimistic about returning to the field in early 2015.
"I'm starting to believe again," the 28-year-old told AFL.com.au.
"This been one of the hardest training blocks I've done in my AFL career and to get through it unscathed and feeling good the whole time gives me great confidence.
"All I'm going to focus on is making sure I'm doing everything I can to get my body right and play the best I can, and whatever happens, it will take place.
"Then at least I can look back and say I did everything."
Many will recall the dramatic collapse of Knights' right knee in round seven, 2013 – his first season as a Tiger after leaving Adelaide as a free agent.
He'd managed mild patella tendinitis throughout his career but nothing prepared him for the moment his knee basically fell apart as he went to kick the ball against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
His patella tendon had been ripped off the bone and required season-ending surgery to fix it.
Subsequent setbacks peppered his recovery and left his knee still not quite right a year after the incident – and led to Knights accept that his football career could be over.
"I was trying to fight through it for a while, thinking it was normal but it got to the stage where I couldn't run or do anything," he said.
"We made the decision to give it about six weeks off and in that time I tried to increase my strength and my general rehab type of stuff to get it right.
"But I suppose at that point, six weeks later, I was at a bit of a crossroads where I was thinking, 'I may never play football again'.
"My knee just wasn't at a level where I could play at the top level."
Knights had an arthroscope in May that discovered a piece of floating bone that had failed to connect after the initial surgery. It had been hidden behind two screws and was undetectable in scans.
It was taken out and 12 weeks later, Knights felt like he was supposed to.
"It was a relief. It was a big sacrifice because I missed another season of football – and I've missed a few in my career – and you play AFL not only because of the game but you want to be involved and you want to contribute to what we're trying to achieve," he said.
"When you're sitting on the sidelines, you can mentor some of the young guys and help them and give your opinions but unless you're out there on game day, you don't really feel a part of it.
"That was a bit how I was feeling, especially when I came from another club – you really want to be involved with your performance and it was quite hard to grasp."
The Tigers helped him through the dark times, and were there again when a right quad strain – caused by a lack of conditioning – ended his VFL comeback later in the year.
He admits now he wouldn't have got through the past two years without the help of those around him.
"Without that sort of support network, it's really tough," he said.
"The club was really good to me – the fitness staff, the coaches, the players.
"That was something that really took me back when I moved from Adelaide to Richmond – the amount of genuine care that the whole environment had for a certain player.
"Even though I was feeling really bad, they tried to include me the whole way.
"There were quite a few conversations had with my girlfriend where she had to pick me up and say, 'You've just got to keep going', which I'm very grateful for."
Knights didn't miss a session in the pre-Christmas training block, which is the first time in five years he's been able to fully participate before the new year.
Earlier in the pre-season, Richmond football manager Dan Richardson told AFL.com.au the former Crow would face tough competition to regain his half-forward spot at senior level, given the emergence of Nathan Gordon, Sam Lloyd and Matt McDonough.
But Knights – who is entering the final year of the three-year deal he signed with the Tigers – is motivated by the challenge.
"It won't be easy but that's a good thing," he said.
"Depth is one of the biggest factors of successful teams.
"I'm one of three or four vying for the same position and if we're all playing good football, at least I and the others can hold our heads high if the team is winning.
"I think that's more important than being selfish when it comes to those sorts of things.
"We're helping each other out and making each other better, and that's important for everyone in the team to keep pushing each other."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-12-29/new-dawn-for-knights
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I'd say he's one small injury away from retiring
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Will be like a new recruit.
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Dud, delist.
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Good player whose been very unlucky. Is in our best 22 when he is fit. Hopefully he plays a lot of games in 2015.
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What career
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he couldn't be in better hands than the Punt rd strength and conditioning team, don't worry about that :shh
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Will be like having another first round draft pick.
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if its between knights gordon lloyd and mcdonough for one spot then knights is easily to date the best option. regardless of injuries or how people rate him hes simply when fit done so much more than the other 3.
would have thought edwards, petterd, lennon and butler fwd options and in competition with the other 4. ytheres also martin and deledio who spend lots of time fwd.
8 med/sml fwd options we need 2 of em to become good consistent afl players.imo the two with the best chance are lennon and butler long term.
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he couldn't be in better hands than the Punt rd strength and conditioning team, don't worry about that :shh
I do worry about that, can think of better hands, even some of the woeful Aussie Cricketers would fill me with more confidence
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Having this guy back will be like having him back.
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Having this guy back will be like having him back.
LMAO yeah but just slower
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This bloke is Deledio Mk2 - too good overhead for a small defender but too good at ground level for the big gorillas. I give him a solid :thumbsup
It was actually great coaching to identify the need for a tall/small chf in our forward set up, moving Lids to chf saved our season, credit where credit is due! Knights can also play a similar role to Lids if he gets a good run at it. Like Lids, Knights is an excellent option at chf on those wet & swirling windy days, he's far too dangerous & versatile for your average defender! Just hope that knee holds up ... :pray
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If he can stay on the park and play 22 then we might make the 8
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Still holding hope for Knights, might be the smokey... :pray
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Best is way past him and was too slow anyway
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Best is way past him and was too slow anyway
He's the weapon :shh
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Best is way past him and was too slow anyway
No he wasn't, was beginning to dominate . Will need a lot of luck and minor miracle to jump a cox plate field that is jockeying for that med forward spot......good luck :shh
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Best is way past him and was too slow anyway
No he wasn't, was beginning to dominate . Will need a lot of luck and minor miracle to jump a cox plate field that is jockeying for that med forward spot......good luck :shh
My bad.....he is a gun
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Best is way past him and was too slow anyway
He's the weapon :shh
:shh .....its a secret!
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Best is way past him and was too slow anyway
He's the weapon :shh
:shh .....its a secret!
It's been a stuffing secret for 11 stuffing years! :yawn
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Can't wait to see him take the competition by storm next year
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Will be like a new recruite
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Will be like a new recruite
Concur
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Will be like a new recruite
Reese Concur
Will also be like a new recruite
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His kicking style is wierd. He swings his bottom half of his leg through late and fast, im not surprised he has knee issues. I predict another leg injury and career end. Pity on the park he is a good player.
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His kicking style is wierd. He swings his bottom half of his leg through late and fast, im not surprised he has knee issues. I predict another leg injury and career end. Pity on the park he is a good player.
nice
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His kicking style is wierd. He swings his bottom half of his leg through late and fast, im not surprised he has knee issues. I predict another leg injury and career end. Pity on the park he is a good player.
nice
i'se predicts he will have a great year, good luck Chris!!
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If you understand biomechanics you would realise this is not a weird kicking style but a good trait. The faster the foot travels as it is making contact with the ball the further the ball travels and the flatter the trajectory. Check out Dusty's kick next time you see it.
From memory it was his right leg that gave way as he injured himself.
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If you understand biomechanics you would realise this is not a weird kicking style but a good trait. The faster the foot travels as it is making contact with the ball the further the ball travels and the flatter the trajectory. Check out Dusty's kick next time you see it.
From memory it was his right leg that gave way as he injured himself.
yes it was the right that buckled as he kicked it but he still kicked the goal! all the best to Chris. Would love him fit and firing in our forward line so Lids can play through the middle more because against top 4 teams, I don't think someone of Lids' talent can be left in HF throughout the entire match or we'll get smashed in the middle ala elimination final against Port
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He must use maximum force to move his plumbs aside with one swift action whilst not interfering with the striking action on the football, and yet not crush said plumbs betwixt ones thighs in this same powerful motion. It's all in the bio-mechanics.