Brereton paying a huge toll

JON RALPH

THE complicated dance that Dermott Brereton performs on his bed each morning is no delicate mating ritual but a matter of survival.

His back causes him so much pain he must roll on to his stomach then slowly slide off the edge of his bed until he can push himself upright with his arms.

“It’s a full-on procedure just to get up each day. My partner has to help me with my socks. I can’t reach down there. It’s just an awful way to live,” Brereton says with an uncharacteristic note of frustration in his voice.

Today Brereton will enter hospital for surgery on a back that has him in agony every day. Brereton’s spine should be aligned like a mighty skyscraper but instead looks on the verge of collapse like a teetering Jenga tower.

The 55-year-old is one of footy’s greatest warriors, his 214 games over 14 seasons full of the kind of savage moments that became his legacy.

Yet in a remarkable admission even Brereton now admits to moments of reflection about the toll that style has taken on his body. He isn’t asking for sympathy or looking for answers or putting his hand out for cash — he is just bloody sore most of the time.

Incredibly, this will be Brereton’s 26th major surgery from football, even if he only counts the ones that were done under general anaesthetic.

“It’s due to the way I played and those days were a bit more lethal,” Brereton said.

“The old adage was if someone drops into your space as a forward you would run through them, but back in those days the centre half-forward was often camped under the ball too.

“Being caught stationary at centre half-forward someone would cannon into your back from behind and everyone endures it, but that’s the price that comes with the position. I got up and got on with it.

“The amount of times I had that done to me… It looks innocuous and you would hold your breath as you got up, but you are talking about hundreds and hundreds of times. That adds up.”

Brereton’s surgeon will explore the damage today, having told him he has got more mileage out of his spine than any elite sportsman he had ever seen.