SISTER ACT BACK ON TRACK
Having charted their knee rehab together, Geelong sisters and Collingwood netballers Madi and Kelsey Browne are building towards an on-court reunion four years in the making.
COLLINGWOOD netballer Madi Browne has admitted she considered giving up the sport after injuring her knee, as she closes in on lining up with her sister Kelsey.
Growing up playing with South Barwon, a four-year age difference meant Madi and Kelsey never shared a court in their junior years.
The last time they were on the same team was for about five quarters for the Melbourne Vixens in 2016.
When Kelsey signed with Collingwood Magpies ahead of the 2019 season, the sisters were finally united in the same colours.
That was until Madi, 32, ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in the pre-season, the second time she had suffered that injury in her career.
Kelsey, 28, followed suit and suffered the same injury in Round 13.
With both Brownes on the sidelines, Madi considered her future.
“I think throughout your whole rehab process there are times when I’m like, ‘Why am I doing this again and how much do I really, really want this?’,” she told RSN.
“Because of my age, I’ve kind of done most things I want to do in this sport. Is it really worth it, given the after effect it might have in my quality of life?
“I want to go down to the beach and run around and be active and have kids and not be like, ‘Sorry, Mum has done two ACLs’.
“I did think about (retiring), but then when Kelsey was playing and (I was) watching the girls I was like, ‘I would give anything to be out there and play with her’. But when she went down, my whole process crashed a bit.
“It was a little bit of excitement hoping that we could play together, but now we are both on track the light at the end of the tunnel is getting a bit brighter.”
Madi is returning to normal training with the Magpies nine months after her knee surgery, while Kelsey is making progress six months after hers.
The pair took a rare holiday together after last season to Byron Bay before Kelsey dived into her rehab.
“I had five days in Byron with Madi, but I haven’t really had (a break since),” Kelsey said.
“My first three months I was definitely getting a Dminus from my surgeon just because my knee wasn’t responding very well.
“And then the last three months I have done so much more than I thought I would.
“I was looking at a mid-season return and (on Tuesday) the physio said, ‘Oh you will be ready for Round 1’.
“We all have no idea how it’s going to go in the next couple of months, but we are both on track at the moment.”
Collingwood begins its Super Netball season against West Coast Fever on May 2.