Another Knee Injury

[Stiffy_18]

Former Crow Ryan Fitzgerald has suffered another knee injury. Apparently yesterday during training drill he twisted his knee and heard a snap. He had his scans today but it doesn't look good. He re-injured the same knee that he has reconstructed last year.

Fair Dinkum how unlucky is this guy?????? 2 shoulder reconstructions, 2 knee reconstructions and it appears likely that he will have a 3rd knee reco. He also had a hernia operation while with Sydney. He is a great bloke who has to be just about unluckiest footballer ever. Can he buy a trick??????

What appeared to be a promising career when he was drafted as the number 4 pick in 98 draft, has turned out to be a heart break. I remember, that Malcolm Blight was very keen to do a trade with Collingwood that would have given us their number 3 pick. He was prepared to trade 2 premiership players to secure a player he tought to be one of the most promising youngsters he has ever seen. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

 

[crowsfan]

This is sad news. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like Fitzy's body holds up to the damands of footy very well. It just seems like his body can't sustain the physcial stress that the game places on it. With his track record, it doesn't look good for the future, as there would be a greater chance of the same injuries occurring again - which is why I think the AFC dropped him last year. Its such a pity he couldn't fulfil his potential.

 

[macca23]

Very sad. Fitzy is a great bloke and has genuine football ability.

Nature appears to have dealt him a cruel blow with the way his body is put together!!

 

[tribey]

It's sad for Fitzy but I tend to disagree with the judgments on his potential ability just to be a realist for a second. And just to qualify what I'm saying, I don't necessarily mean the posters in this thread, but just views I've heard from cetain 'experts' and punters alike over the years.

Players who get slaughtered through chronic injury tend to get over-rated in terms of how good they actually were or how good they could've been - read Neale Daniher, Shaun Rehn, Matthew Liptak, Barry Stoneham, Lee Walker and Fitzgerald, to name but a few.

Generally the comments go "he had massive ability... if had've stayed fit/been luckier with injuries then he could've/would've/should've..." etc etc.

In Fitzy's case his AFL career came about more through good fortune and circumstance than any sort of long-term talent identification that led to an 'inevitable' move up to the big time.

He had that season with Port Noarlunga in the SFL where he was spotted by Ken Applegarth (Then Panthers coach with an SFL background) who took him to South.
In his first and only season at Noarlunga he played very well, showed a lot of promise and sparked a lot of predraft buzz and he ultimately got taken at pick 3 or 4 by the Swans in 1998 as a 21 year old - unfortunately ever since then he has been chronically injured.

It's hard to say how good he could've been if his body had've stayed sound or not, but I'm not convinced he would've been the uber-forward that many people believe he could've been.

Ultimately at league level he only ever played 1 full season in his entire career - and that was at SANFL level where he showed promise, which every player does at one stage.

You've got to feel for the guy, but at 25/26 with all his knee and shoulder problems he should give the game away to avoid anymore permanent damage being done.

 

[napsyd]

Shocking result for the lad. I'm very sad to hear it, he really seems like a great bloke who deserves better.

For anyone who doubted the AFC's decision to delist him at the end of last year, the club has been vindicated.

AFL lists are short enough these days and gambling on nice blokes with potential "if they can just get over one more injury hurdle" is foolish to say the least.

AFL is now a game of inches. My heart honestly goes out to the guy but thank God the club made the decision they did.

 

[Jars458]

poor bastar d.

Didn't deserve that at all.

A guy at our soccer club who has had injury after injury, was back playing well untill he snapped his achilles on Saturday. Some people just have no luck at all.

All the best to Ryan for a speedy recovery.

 

[noddy]

Terrible news concerning Fitzy & it definitely looks like the footy gods have turned their back on him & you have to feel for anyone who has to go through what that guy has been through since being drafted by the Swans,

just on the Swans anyone know how young James is going these days & is he still out injured??

 

[Stiffy_18]

My heart really goes out to Fitzy. I had the greatest of pleasures of meeting him in june last year at Scoozi's in Rundle Street. He was there with his girlfriend and my gang had the pleasure of having a couple of beers with them. He is such a great bloke. Its just amaziing the way he goes about his life. For a guy that got belted from pillar to post as far as injuries go, he just doesn't stop smiling and cracking jokes. Honestly he is a great bloke that just gels the group together. I cannot remeber ever having as much fun and laughs as that night. He was talking about being a bit of a rebel during his school days, having a bit of a laugh about Footy Park being named AAMI stadium saying how he dated a bird called amy once. He never took her to footy park but he did take her to park

Its just sad that such a great bloke has had such rotten luck in life. But the most important thing is that he never stops smiling and always finds a positive no matter how bad things look.

I think he should give up the game for his body's sake and his long term health. He would be great as a media personality. He is a natural for those things. I am sure 5AA will have a crack at him for next years footy broadcasts.

Best of luck to Fitzy.

 

[Jars458]

Originally posted by noddy

just on the Swans anyone know how young James is going these days & is he still out injured??

It says on teh Swans site that he has a knee injury and is rated as indefinite.

Don't know what that means, but did he need a reconstruciton?

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by Jars458
It says on teh Swans site that he has a knee injury and is rated as indefinite.

Don't know what that means, but did he need a reconstruciton?

Thanks for that Jars should have looked there myself, no i don't think he had a knee reco but that he kept tearing his ham-strings when ever he trained at or near top pace ,

 

[footychick]

oooohhh I feel so sorry 4 him. It's sad when this thing happens to anyone but Fitzy is such a funny fantastic guy...no one deserves this kind of thing...

 

[Macca19]

The guy obviously just hasnt got the body for football. You look at him up close and hes just skin and bones which obviously isnt a great body shape for someone that tall.

It is bad luck. Apparently he did it as he was walking as well which is pretty poor luck.

Guess he'll be around the club scene a lot more now tho.

 

[ScottWelshLuva]

He sounded absolutely shattered when he was on 5AA yesterday..i really felt sorry for him. Luck has been cruel to such a great guy on and off the field.
I would really like to send something to him..like a card.. wishing him all the best with whatever he decides to do. Where would i need to send something like this, because he's going overseas for a while and im not sure that it would get to him in time.

 

[AngelEyes]

You can't help but feel sorry for Fitzy!
It's such a shame that the guy has been through injury to injury. It's so great how his personality always shines through in any situation.....sad, or good.



Apparently Channel 10 have approached him to make a deal with him for media stuff, if he doesnt decide to play footy. No word yet though of if he has taken up the opportunity. I hope he does that if he decides not to play football. His sense of humour is amazing, and I hope that we all don't miss out on it.

Get better soon, mate!

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by ScottWelshLuva
He sounded absolutely shattered when he was on 5AA yesterday..i really felt sorry for him. Luck has been cruel to such a great guy on and off the field.
I would really like to send something to him..like a card.. wishing him all the best with whatever he decides to do. Where would i need to send something like this, because he's going overseas for a while and im not sure that it would get to him in time.

I listened to the same interview. He was obviously disappointed but he still started cracking up a few one liners. Like when he got asked where he plans to go overseas:

"Not to Hong Kong or Singapore thats for sure!!!!!!"

Or when his knee surgeon said if he ever considered a change of sport to basketball:

"Nah mate I am better dribbler when I talk"

As for the card send it to South Adelaide FC and they will pass it on to Fitzy.

 

[ScottWelshLuva]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
I listened to the same interview. He was obviously disappointed but he still started cracking up a few one liners. Like when he got asked where he plans to go overseas:

"Not to Hong Kong or Singapore thats for sure!!!!!!"

Or when his knee surgeon said if he ever considered a change of sport to basketball:

"Nah mate I am better dribbler when I talk"

As for the card send it to South Adelaide FC and they will pass it on to Fitzy.

Thanks mate, i'll do that.

Yeah he still seemed to have a sense of humour in that interview, which is great to see. I loved the overseas joke!!!