> Watch Brad Dick speak to CTV in the hotel after the win in SubiacoBEING part of Saturday night's win in his home state made the pain of coming back from a knee reconstruction worthwhile for Collingwood's Brad Dick.
Dick was a late inclusion for the game against West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night, the same opposition against which he injured his knee back in 2007.
The 20-year-old East Fremantle product almost gave the game away during his convalescence from the resulting reconstruction, but said some veterans at the club helped him through.
"I did my knee down in Albany against the Eagles, so I was a bit nervous within myself playing again. But it was just good to be part of the win especially on Indigenous Round," Dick said.
"All the boys that have done a knee know just how hard you've got to work to get back out on the field
“I was shattered when I did it and at one stage I was thinking about giving it up – that’s how hard it was. Tarkyn Lockyer, Dids (Alan Didak) and Presti (Simon Prestigiacomo) all helped me get through it."
Dick was delighted to have 16 possessions, lay eight tackles and kick a goal in Lockyer's 200th game, who is also an East Freo Sharks product.
"The club has been under pressure the last couple of weeks, but all the boys got together for Tarkyn's 200th and it was good to get a win on the road,” he said.
“I always talk to Tarkyn about the Sharks and, so it was good that all the boys could get up and have a win for him."
The victory was made all the more special for Dick given it was the AFL's Indigenous Round and so many of his extended family got along to watch.
" Me, Leon [Davis] and [Shannon] Coxy talked about it during the week about how great it is that the AFL has a round like this," he said.
"I had all my cousins and uncles coming along to watch, but mum and dad stayed at home in Melbourne ... My focus was to get the ball and do well in front of my family."
Dick praised the contribution of Davis who was best on ground with 32 disposals and three goals.
"I love Leon and watching him play. He started out as a small forward like me and is now a midfielder, and I'm trying to base my game on his," he said.
"When I first got here, he took me under his wing because I'm just a country boy like him and he worked with me. I still get around to him all the time and he keeps showing me all his tricks from the boundary line, which is good."
