2013 Player Profile: Daniel Menzel

[Mr.Craig]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/geelongs-daniel-menzel-has-lars-surgery-to-save-his-career/story-fnelctok-1226565389734

UNLUCKY Cat Daniel Menzel has had a secret third knee reconstruction.

In a desperate bid to save his AFL career, the 21-year-old has had the revolutionary LARS surgery on his left knee which he injured at training just days before Christmas.

Menzel received the all-clear from his surgeon yesterday to start running with the dynamic forward penciling in a return in the VFL by round one.

His younger brother, Troy, who was drafted to Carlton in November had LARS surgery as a 16-year-old.

"Because I'd already had two conventional reconstructions we weren't going to do a third one," Menzel said. "Two in a row is hard enough mentally, three is too much.

"Fremantle's Anthony Morabito has had exactly the same thing and he's having LARS as well because you just can't do three (reconstructions) back-to-back pretty much."

The reason for the secrecy initially was that Menzel wasn't sure whether he needed another reconstruction.

He then wanted to deal with his grief privately as he steeled himself for yet another rehabilitation program, albeit three months instead of the regulation nine.

"I never ever thought about quitting or giving up," he says.

"A lot of bad things do go through your head but the LARS is such a quick turnaround, three months, which is not long in the scheme of things."

Menzel ruptured his right knee in the 2011 qualifying final against Hawthorn which robbed him of playing in a premiership. In his VFL comeback match in June last year he tore his left ACL.

The third time was in a controlled tackling drill where he went to lay a tackle, twisted and felt something go in the knee. It wasn't painful so he kept training before realising something was wrong.

"I went to see the surgeon straight away and he said the ACL felt good but I still had scans," he said.

"Our doctor here saw the scans and thought they looked OK but then rang back and said he'd spoken to the surgeon and they weren't good."

It turned out Menzel had only ruptured two thirds of the ACL which was a positive in terms of the LARS procedure.

[Andrew]

That's awful... Scary how innocuous it happens, and lucky he's a professional who can easily get scans on a two thirds ACL tear...

[Ricochet]

Still so young, can't imagine how bad their knees will be when they're 40 let alone 50+

[Jukes]

Still so young, can't imagine how bad their knees will be when they're 40 let alone 50+

Agreed, all the best for Daniel with this.

Basically 100% rules him out of contention for my side, wasn't a great chance to get in anyway.

[henry]

Shocking luck, morabito too  :(. Was in contention for a F5/6 spot, not anymore.

[Dudge]

Just imagine how he's feeling right now. Feel for him

[henry]

Just imagine how he's feeling right now. Feel for him

Yeah it would be shocking to be an injured sportsman, especially a young one trying to establish themselves on the big stage. Having to sit out for that amount of time. Still with the amount of money they earn things could be worse, hope he makes a full and swift recovery.

[Jukes]

>tfw 3 straight knee recos :(