AFTER more than 12 months of frustration, rehabilitation, precaution and toil, North Melbourne forward Nathan Thompson says he’s fully recovered from a knee reconstruction and that he wants to do whatever he can to help his side to another finals series.
Critics were quick to write off the Kangaroos in the absence of their gun forward at this time last year, but a stirring team effort helped secure an shock top-four berth with a re-jigged forward line proving a key weapon in the revival.
Speaking at Arden Street on Tuesday morning, Thompson said he was all set to slot back into that line-up for next Monday’s clash against Essendon, with the only hurdle left being the routine of regular senior football.
“It’s a little bit nerve-wracking to tell you the truth, it’s been a fair while and the practice matches aren’t quite the same feeling,” Thompson said.
“It’s been great to get through this period of the season and now there’s the real stuff, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
“It was pretty hard being on the sidelines watching it all unfold without me being involved and I’m just excited to be back and hopefully I can contribute to us being back in that sort of position this year.”
Thompson’s return during the NAB Cup was one of the most eagerly anticipated comebacks of the summer, although he readily admits his practice match form perhaps wasn’t as consistent as he was hoping for.
“It’s been a little a bit up and down, the (intra-club) was really good and then I went up to Darwin and didn’t play that well at all and found it really tough in the conditions up there and got injured with a bit of a sore calf,” he said.
“Then I came back and played in the VFL and went really well, and then against Melbourne I was just ok again, so it’s been a bit up and down.”
“But I’m very happy to have a few games under the belt, the fitness feels good and pretty much I couldn’t have asked for a better pre-season.”
On that troublesome knee, the ex-Hawthorn star is adamant there’s no concern and that he’s regained full mobility and flexibility over the past 12 months.
“I think I was lucky that I trained so much last year, pretty much doing full training towards the end of last year trying to get back for the finals and all those worries were taken away then,” he said.
“Once I had another eight weeks off in our break and then to come back and make a full comeback, I haven’t really thought about it.”
Thompson admits with hindsight it was a wise decision to bypass last year’s finals series, despite his speedy recovery.
“In the end it was the doctor’s decision, and the typical footballer that I am, I was pretty crazy and wanted to risk it and play finals, but the doctors made the decision,” he said.
“That’s probably been a good thing and now I’m super fit and ready to go for this year.”
North Melbourne handled Thompson’s absence so well that he is no longer the one and only option in attack.
“Two years ago the focus was more about kicking the ball to me, but that’s changed a lot now, and I probably won’t get the ball that I was I used to or the opportunities, but I probably won’t get the amount of focus from the opposition either.
