Q. What were your thoughts when you were collected by St.Kilda's Matt Maguire mid-way through the second quarter of the practice match?
A. When he hit me, I didn't move. I think I was a bit shocked. I was down on all fours and I heard the umpire blow his whistle and give me a free kick. I remember trying to get up and I couldn't move my arm. I looked down at my arm and it was huge and I thought I am in a bit of strife here. Pev (Damien Peverill) came over and said your shoulder is out, don't move. Then the doctor came and slowly walked me off the ground. He put my shoulder back in straight away when I was on the bench.
Q. Did you know you had done something serious straight away?
A. Not at first because I was in too much pain. When I was on the boundary line and the pain had died down a little bit I started thinking about how long I was going to be out for. I asked the doctor how long he thought I would be out for and he said eight weeks.
Q. You were in good form in the practice matches, you must have been shattered to not only injury your shoulder, but then discover the severity of the injury will keep you out for four months?
A. It probably didn't hit me until the next day. It was the most painful thing in my life - even when I hurt both my knees they didn't hurt this much. Even the doctor said, you would rather have five knee injuries than doing a shoulder because of the pain factor.
Q. New recruit Damian Cupido has had reconstructive shoulder surgery twice - have you spoken to him about the injury?
A. He has had two operations and said it is a tough injury. We have exchanged stories on how hard things are - the little things, like getting changed and having a shower.
Q. What is involved rehabilitation wise over the next few weeks?
A. The shoulder will be in a sling for six weeks and then I will have six weeks physiotherapy - so that brings me up to 12 weeks. After I have the sling off I will be able to walk and then build up to a jog from there. The first six weeks in the sling is the worst because I can't do anything.
Q. You made the decision to have surgery, was there another option?
A. With shoulders you can do one of two things. You can have eight weeks off and then play but there is a huge chance that you will re-injure the shoulder. The other option, which I took, is to get it operated on straight away. When I had my operation last week, I spoke to my surgeon Greg Hoy and he said it was a good choice to have surgery because there was no way I would have been able to play after eight weeks.
Q. Does the medical team expect you to make a full recovery?
A. The surgeon said it was a good operation and expects a full recovery, which is one positive.
Q. This is a minor set-back with regard to getting on the Essendon senior list this season - does the injury make you even more determined to make it?
A. I am pretty determined anyway because of what I went through last year with my knee. I am disappointed because I was playing well but I suppose the positive thing is that the club knows I can play and that I am determined to make it. Come half-way through the season when I return, I will be fresh.
Q. Have you set a round to make your return, or are you just taking things week by week at the moment?
A. Definitely Round 12.
Q. Have you spoken to any of the coaches about the affect this injury may have on you being the rookie elevated to the senior list?
A. I have spoken to a few of the coaches and they have just said get the shoulder right and see what happens. They said half-way through the year there will be injuries and I will be coming in fresh.
