Polly's Back!

[Smokey]

Miracle comeback nears completion for Tiger

Graham Polak will make his awaited return against Hawthorn on Saturday
9:25 PM Wed 19 August, 2009

GRAHAM Polak will play his first AFL game in almost 14 months when Richmond hosts Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, Richmond confirmed Polak would be selected in Thursday's team to play the Hawks.

The key defender was hit by a tram on June 28 last year, suffering a serious head injury which required him to be placed in an induced coma.

Polak spent a month in hospital, underwent extensive rehabilitation and was retained by the club even though its request to the League to allow him to be moved to its rookie list was denied.

He made his return to football this year; firstly, through pre-season practice games, then the Tigers' NAB Challenge clash with St Kilda in March, reserves matches with Richmond's VFL affiliate Coburg and in recent weeks, Coburg's senior side.

The 25-year-old was named in Richmond's extended squad for its round 19 match against the Sydney Swans, but was left out of the final 22.

It's a different situation this week, with Polak informed of his selection by caretaker coach Jade Rawlings on Wednesday.

"I was so excited when Jade Rawlings told me the news late this afternoon. It's been my dream to be able to get back and play a game at the MCG," Polak said.

"The support of my fellow players, my family, management and all the staff at the Richmond Football Club over the past year has been amazing and has helped me through some incredibly tough times.

"I can’t wait to get out there with my teammates and play my heart out and whatever happens in the future, I am really proud of myself for making it this far."

Polak has played 33 matches for Richmond since crossing to Punt Road at the end of 2006.

Selected at No.4 in the 2001 NAB AFL Draft, the West Australian represented Fremantle in 73 games across five seasons before he was traded.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83078/default.aspx

[tigersalive]

Great come back story.  Well done, Polly. 

[WA Tiger]

Wow well done Polly, great story and I hope it works out I really do..

Now boys, you couldn't lift for Bens 250th and you couldn't lift for Bowdens last game so for Gods sake do you think that Polak's come back from near death could inspire a little more effort????

PLEASE.

[one-eyed]

Graham Polak set to return for Richmond at the MCG
Mark Robinson from Herald Sun; Caroline Wilson from The Age | August 20, 2009

Tigers coach Rawlings was thrilled last night, saying he had been close friends with Polak for three years and had coached him at Coburg.

"I had grave doubts he could get back because he was struggling, and even five weeks ago I thought it was unlikely," Rawlings said.

"He's made significant gains. We are now judging him as an AFL player rather than a VFL player . . . his training is very good and the timing is right.

''This is not about closure,'' Rawlings said. ''There is no tokenism in this at all. Five weeks ago I didn't think he was capable of senior football, but Graham's progress since then has been amazing.

''He was over the moon when I told him. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face. There is a lot of bad news in footy and it was nice as a coach to deliver some good news.''

Polak, who is out of contract at the end of the season, suffered a life-threatening brain injury in the accident in June last year.

Much of his VFL time has been spent in the ruck, but Rawlings encouraged Coburg coach Craig McRae to test Polak up forward and in defence before deciding he was ready for senior selection.

Rawlings said Polak would have played against Collingwood had he not hurt his ankle the previous week.

Richmond's list management group is reviewing the list for next year and Rawlings said Polak would be judged on his performances over the next two weeks.

"There's nothing anyone can say or contrive to convince anyone about next year, it's their actions that must do the talking," Rawlings said.

"It's a great story, more about Graham the person."

It's believed Polak, 25, is keen to continue playing next year.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/rfnews/polak-recalled/2009/08/19/1250362118814.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,27574,25954544-2862,00.html

[Tigermonk]

Still beleive this is the wrong decision by the RFC.
Polak shouldnot be risked at AFL level this year & will prove nothing.
Nice to know he can make it back this year,  but he should be rested for next year & start fresh & without preasure.
But seeing Richmond want to rush him back & Polak would be very eager to play l wish him all the best.
Dont understand why when the man injured his ankle several weeks ago why they risk him

[TigerTimeII]

IF HE IS GFIT TO PLAY VFL,  surely he is fit to play afl. he could get wiped out just as easy playing suburban footy, definately country footy!

btw, isnt our game soft now, so he will be safe , no trams on the footy feild!

[Stripes]

I'm guessing this is a send off game for Polly of sorts. It would be unlikely that a new coach, looking from the outside, would offer him another contract.

[richmondrules]

Don't know about that Stripes. A fit Polak is just the sort of player we could use. Big man, mature but not too old, great hands, can play forward or back. I'd love to see him complete his comeback fully.

[Stripes]

Don't know about that Stripes. A fit Polak is just the sort of player we could use. Big man, mature but not too old, great hands, can play forward or back. I'd love to see him complete his comeback fully.

I'm just not certain that he will every get back to where he once was which, to be honest, was a peripheral player. I was always hopeful that he would hold down CHF or CHB but he never seemed to be able to kick goals consistently as a forward or shut down a player as a defender. He always could take a grab and I don't think that will change but even at his best he was not a solid performer.

I wish him all the best and the Hawks game could be a watershed moment for him in his dramatic career.

Stripes

[mat073]

Up until his horrible accident Polly missed rounds 7,9 and 10 last year.If my memory is correct (big if) Dropped in round 7 for poor form and 9&10 missed through injury.There might be some truth that he was a peripheral player as Stripes suggests.

At his best he is just what the team lacks at the moment ...A defender who can pitch hit up forward.I fear that it might be false hope that he can resurrect his AFL career.

Looking forward to seeing how he goes on the weekend. GO POLLY.

[Tigermonk]

Don't know about that Stripes. A fit Polak is just the sort of player we could use. Big man, mature but not too old, great hands, can play forward or back. I'd love to see him complete his comeback fully.

I'm just not certain that he will every get back to where he once was which, to be honest, was a peripheral player. I was always hopeful that he would hold down CHF or CHB but he never seemed to be able to kick goals consistently as a forward or shut down a player as a defender. He always could take a grab and I don't think that will change but even at his best he was not a solid performer.

I wish him all the best and the Hawks game could be a watershed moment for him in his dramatic career.

Stripes

maybe the impact his brain got made him better  maybe he can kick them goals now 

[mightytiges]

Well done Polly 

I'm guessing this is a send off game for Polly of sorts. It would be unlikely that a new coach, looking from the outside, would offer him another contract.

Agree Stripes. It wouldn't surprise me if Polly calls it a day himself after the game having proven he could make it back. An amazing  effort from where he's come from.

[one-eyed]

Graham Polak tells mum of return to AFL
Michael Warner | August 21, 2009

WHEN Graham Polak found out he would play AFL footy again, he did what all good boys do - phoned mum.

"I'm very proud. Very excited," Judy Polak said from her Perth home.

"He can't wait to get out there. He's just been very positive all the time. He didn't ever say he didn't think he'd play again."

Polak, 25, was almost killed when hit by a tram while crossing Dandenong Rd in Armadale on June 28 last year.

He was put in an induced coma and it was feared he would not survive, let alone play AFL again.

But after a string of impressive performances for Richmond's VFL affiliate, Polak has been picked by the Tigers to take on Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.

It promises to be the most emotional AFL comeback since Jason McCartney's 2003 return after the Bali bombing.

Judy and the Polak clan, including Graham's brother Troy, will make the trip from Perth to Melbourne, joining girlfriend Alyce Oksuz in the stands for his 107th AFL game.

Asked if she agreed with Troy's assessment that Graham had emerged as a better man, his mum said: "Yes. I think everyone would. When you come that close to not being here you'd look at life a lot differently, too, wouldn't you?"

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25958453-661,00.html

[one-eyed]

Polak relieved at new opportunity
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen | Fri 21 August, 2009

RICHMOND defender Graham Polak says he's relieved to be back playing the game he loves at the top level after a rolled ankle nearly derailed his late-season comeback bid.

Polak was hit by a tram midway through last year and was placed in a medically-induced coma but has completed an arduous football rehabilitation; through Richmond's pre-season, the Coburg reserves, the Coburg seniors and now the AFL.

He has been selected in the 22 for Saturday night's game against Hawthorn at the MCG, after being named as an emergency for the Swans clash two weeks ago and then rolling the ankle.

At a much larger than normal media conference at Punt Road on Friday, the 25-year-old said it was going to be impossible to keep the grin from his face in his comeback game.

"I can't wait to get back out there, and show them I still can play footy – it's going to be a real buzz and I'm looking forward to it," he said.

"It'll be a big relief to be able to get back, I'll run out with a smile on my face.

"It'll be a buzz – I think all the boys will get around me and make me feel like I deserve to be out there."

With September approaching, time was running out for Polak to make an AFL appearance, and he was distraught when he injured his ankle, fearing it may have ended his season.

But the former Fremantle player worked hard in the training room, following all the rehab crew's orders and now feels ready to play.

"I probably could have come up last week, but the physios told me to rest it for a bit longer so I was 100 per cent this week," he said.

One of the major things encouraging Polak to work through any barriers that arose was the support he received from friends and family.

"This is the best I've felt in the year-and-a-bit [since the tram incident] – they say it's a two-year process until you're back to perfect, but I feel perfect now," Polak said.

"[My family] have been great, obviously it's pretty hard for them – they're in Perth, over the other side of the country, but they've come across a lot, they're coming across this weekend, and they've given me a lot of support along the way.

"I couldn't have done it without them, and all the support from around Australia, even from people who weren't Richmond fans writing emails and letters of support have kept my spirits high.

"The Richmond Football Club, the doctors at the Epworth and the Alfred (hospitals), have been a real helping hand in what I've done."

Polak has worn a helmet when training and playing since the accident, but said he wouldn't be worried about putting his head over the ball, despite having copped a couple of head-knocks while playing for Coburg.

"Not at all – that's part of football," he said.

"I'm not going to step back from that challenge, and if the ball's there to be won, I'll be throwing everything into it to get that ball."

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/83171/default.aspx

[Tigermonk]

Well done Polly 

I'm guessing this is a send off game for Polly of sorts. It would be unlikely that a new coach, looking from the outside, would offer him another contract.

Agree Stripes. It wouldn't surprise me if Polly calls it a day himself after the game having proven he could make it back. An amazing  effort from where he's come from.

Doubt it cause his so excited to get back its like his making his debut again
have to wish him the best of luck & that he has a good game.
He won't be another McCarthy as his got years on his side  .
Be interesting & l hope he wears a helmet & gets through unhurt