THERE are moments, quarters, sometimes a breakout game that can define a players' career; some are uplifting and exciting, but others are memorable for all the wrong reasons.

For Sydney Swans utility Gary Rohan, his was the latter, and it came in round four, 2012 against North Melbourne at the SCG.

Taken at with pick No.6 in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, the former Geelong Falcon struggled to cement a spot in the senior side in his first two seasons at the Swans, but had been picked for the first four games of 2012.

The youngster with blistering pace looked set to realize his potential, but an accidental collision with Kangaroo Lindsay Thomas less than two minutes into the match left Rohan with a shattered right leg, which not only ruined his season; it threatened his career.

It was a sickening injury for the boy from Cobden, a small country town 210 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, which cost him the rest of 2012, and most of the 2013 season.

Only those inside Rohan's inner sanctum, namely his close-knit family and players and officials at the Swans, saw how gut-wrenching his recovery was.

While Rohan's injury tale was horrific, his return to the field has been remarkable, and on Saturday night the 23 year-old will reach a significant milestone when he plays his 50^th game against Geelong at ANZ Stadium.

Speaking exclusively to AFL.com.au this week, Gary's father Jim spoke about some of his son's darkest times. 

"It’s a bit hard to put into words what we've been through as a family to see a kid who's so full of life, come back home and put up with what he had to put up with," Jim Rohan told AFL.com.au. 

"To have two broken bones in your leg like that, an horrific injury, and from having the surgeon say it could be his last game of football, to where he is now has been a bloody great achievement.

"We're very proud of him."

Last season Rohan played 16 games for the Swans, the first time he's reached double figures in a single season in the AFL.

Slowly but surely, one of the competition's most exciting players has worked his way back to full fitness, and his family couldn't be happier.

"For our family it's been a good ride and a bad one in parts, and now we're back on the good side of it," Jim Rohan said.

"We appreciate everything the club's done for him and for my family as well. They're a club that will go out of their way to help you. 

"I would put it more like a 100 game milestone for Gary. For us, every game is really a bonus for him. A lot of people don't understand what the lad has gone though." 

Swans defender Rhyce Shaw is one man who does. One of Rohan's closet allies during his rehabilitation, the veteran was able to relate to his teammate's struggles.

Shaw has been through two knee reconstructions, so was the ideal man to help Rohan through an extremely tough period.

"We really care about him and to see what he went through was really tough for all of us," Shaw told AFL.com.au.

"It was a hard slog down in the dungeon for hours on end doing the rehab, plus seeing the physio and doctor, he didn't do any of the training with the rest of the group. 

"I think he's come out of it a stronger person - to break a leg is a shocking injury and he's come out of it really well."

Shaw says his main role and probably his most important, was just to be there for Rohan as a mate.

The Swans' premiership player – a flag Rohan missed out in 2012 thanks to the broken leg - revealed that at times he thought his younger teammate might not make it back.

Close mates Rhyce Shaw and Gary Rohan have both fought back from leg injuries. Picture: AFL Media

"There was a period where he was really struggling, I remember for about a month or so when he started running, and he was waking up the next day really sore," Shaw said.

"I was on the rubdown bench next to him and I remember touching his leg and it felt like it was about 400 degrees, it was so hot.

"He was really flat, I think he thought once he started running he'd be ok, but it took a lot longer than that."

During the second half of 2014 and in six games this season, Rohan has been a consistent performer for John Longmire's men, but Shaw says the speedster is not back to his old self.

In fact, the post-injury version of Rohan is much more valuable to the Swans' set up according to his good mate. 

"I reckon he's gone to another level, he might not get the touches people expect, but that's not what we expect from Gazza," Shaw said.

"It's the tackles and pressure we're after, he can run down anyone, he's the best in the league at it.

"He's playing a pivotal role for us at the moment." 

One of the most popular players at the club, Shaw is hopeful Rohan's 50 game milestone is the first of many.

"He's like a big kid Gazza. All he does is talk about his home town of Cobden, so he cops it a bit from us but we love him," Shaw said.