Veteran Bomber defender Dean Wallis played in a losing side on the weekend and didn't exactly dominate the game but was still entitled to walk off the ground with a grin from ear to ear. Of course Wallis didn't leave the ground smiling but the fact that he just played three quarters in the Bombers VFL match against Frankston on the weekend was a major achievement in the context of this season. Wallis has battled all season to shake a chronic back-related hamstring injury but on the weekend he finally returned to football.
Wallis played three quarters for the Essendon VFL side at centre half-back and collected 10 possessions and took seven marks. ""It was great to finally get out there again - it has been a long time coming,"" Wallis said. ""I didn't really go at it 100% but it was still a good test for me and I have pulled up really well - there is no soreness whatsoever.""
""It was just such a releif to get this game out of the way. Fitness-wise I felt pretty good but I was very rusty. I hadn't done much skill work leading up to last weekend and it showed. I've got a bit of work to do in that area,"" Wallis said. ""It just made me realise how hard it is for players coming back after being out for 12 months with a knee injury or something like that. It is not easy to just pick the game up but hopefully that will come in the next couple of weeks.""
Wallis said he planned to spend the same amount of time on the ground next weekend and look to extend himself a bit more. ""I will just try and build up over the next couple of weeks and see how things go. Hopefully with a few games under my belt I will be looked at for senior selection but at the moment I'm not looking any further than next weekend's VFL match against Carlton.
