Sean Rusling spoke to collingwoodfc.com.au on Monday following Friday night’s 11-point victory over the Demons, his first game of senior AFL football in more than 11 months.
The promising 20-year-old, who has endured a horror run with injury during his three seasons at Collingwood, made a triumphant return to the senior side after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction he underwent in March.
In his 12th AFL game, he played as a leading forward, booting one goal and two behinds from nine kicks and seven marks, and laid four tackles in an encouraging display.
“I feel really good. I think I played 80 per cent of the game, so obviously the match fitness is lacking, but there’s only one way to get that and that’s to keep playing,” Rusling said at the Lexus Centre on Monday.
“The shoulder felt great. Probably the best it’s been since I was about 16, so I’m really pleased with how it’s going."
Rusling is no stranger to lengthy rehabilitation, with a broken collarbone ending his 2005 season, while he only managed five games in the second half of 2006 after having arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome shoulder earlier that year.
But, having now undergone the full reconstruction in 2007, he is full of confidence in his ability to stand up to the physical demands of AFL football, having also produced two impressive performances - one for Williamstown reserves and one for Williamstown seniors - in the lead up to his return against the Demons.
“I’m not conscious of it at all during the games. Earlier in the year when I played during the pre-season cup, and late last year, I was pretty conscious of the shoulder, and the tackling and attacking the ball side of things, but I’m really confident in it now, so it’s good.
Rusling never doubted his ability to get back to playing some sort of footy in 2007, and finally getting out there on Friday night wearing the black and white stripes was a just reward for all his efforts.
“I would’ve like to have kicked a bit straighter, 1.2 wasn’t the best, but it’s good to get your hands on the ball, and once I got back out there it took me probably a quarter almost to get used to the pace of the game again, but I worked into it and just really enjoyed it.
“I was more nervous during the week. When I got to the ground and warmed up it felt like I hadn’t lost any time, really, it felt like I was back to normal and it’s just great to be playing again.”
Playing in such an emotionally-charged game also added to the occasion, with the Magpies not only keen to silence the Melbourne fans on the occasion of David Neitz’s 300th game, but also win for coach Mick Malthouse, whose father, Raymond, died earlier in the week.
“It was fantastic at the end of the game. It had been a pretty big week with what happened to Mick, so the boys were really keen to win and make it easier on him.
“So there was a fair bit of emotion, and at the end of the game everyone was pretty knackered, because everyone had been giving their all.”
Now, with the Magpies eyeing September action, Rusling’s aim is to prove himself a worthy member of the side’s best 22, and perhaps add a new dimension to the forward line.
“My aim is just to keep my spot in the side and try and provide something a bit different to what we’ve had this year, so with September looming I’d love to get out there and play finals.”
The promising 20-year-old, who has endured a horror run with injury during his three seasons at Collingwood, made a triumphant return to the senior side after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction he underwent in March.
In his 12th AFL game, he played as a leading forward, booting one goal and two behinds from nine kicks and seven marks, and laid four tackles in an encouraging display.
“I feel really good. I think I played 80 per cent of the game, so obviously the match fitness is lacking, but there’s only one way to get that and that’s to keep playing,” Rusling said at the Lexus Centre on Monday.
“The shoulder felt great. Probably the best it’s been since I was about 16, so I’m really pleased with how it’s going."
Rusling is no stranger to lengthy rehabilitation, with a broken collarbone ending his 2005 season, while he only managed five games in the second half of 2006 after having arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome shoulder earlier that year.
But, having now undergone the full reconstruction in 2007, he is full of confidence in his ability to stand up to the physical demands of AFL football, having also produced two impressive performances - one for Williamstown reserves and one for Williamstown seniors - in the lead up to his return against the Demons.
“I’m not conscious of it at all during the games. Earlier in the year when I played during the pre-season cup, and late last year, I was pretty conscious of the shoulder, and the tackling and attacking the ball side of things, but I’m really confident in it now, so it’s good.
Rusling never doubted his ability to get back to playing some sort of footy in 2007, and finally getting out there on Friday night wearing the black and white stripes was a just reward for all his efforts.
“I would’ve like to have kicked a bit straighter, 1.2 wasn’t the best, but it’s good to get your hands on the ball, and once I got back out there it took me probably a quarter almost to get used to the pace of the game again, but I worked into it and just really enjoyed it.
“I was more nervous during the week. When I got to the ground and warmed up it felt like I hadn’t lost any time, really, it felt like I was back to normal and it’s just great to be playing again.”
Playing in such an emotionally-charged game also added to the occasion, with the Magpies not only keen to silence the Melbourne fans on the occasion of David Neitz’s 300th game, but also win for coach Mick Malthouse, whose father, Raymond, died earlier in the week.
“It was fantastic at the end of the game. It had been a pretty big week with what happened to Mick, so the boys were really keen to win and make it easier on him.
“So there was a fair bit of emotion, and at the end of the game everyone was pretty knackered, because everyone had been giving their all.”
Now, with the Magpies eyeing September action, Rusling’s aim is to prove himself a worthy member of the side’s best 22, and perhaps add a new dimension to the forward line.
“My aim is just to keep my spot in the side and try and provide something a bit different to what we’ve had this year, so with September looming I’d love to get out there and play finals.”
