Wigg battles back
INJURED Suns recruit Harrison Wigg has declared he will be fit for Round 1 of the season but says he has a lot of work to do if he is to secure an AFL debut.
Wigg has been a lonely figure as the Suns only injured player this preseason after fracturing his foot at training in early December.
It was the first major injury of Wigg’s young career and a blow to his ambitions to finally secure his AFL debut after three years playing for the Adelaide Crows reserves team.
“It was pretty shattering at first when I did it,” Wigg said.
“I’d been training for five weeks and was starting to feel pretty good before it happened.
“But I only dwelled on it for a couple of days. I just looked at it and thought it is what it is and I can’t really change it so I had to put my head down and get stuck in to the rehab to get myself right.”
The 21-year-old has begun running on an anti-gravity treadmill and will build into straight line running and agility work over the coming three weeks.
Wigg will miss the club’s AFLX and JLT Community Series games, to be played throughout February and March, but said he was on track to play a NEAFL practice game a week before the AFL season starts and hoped to put his hand up for selection for the opening game against North Melbourne.
“I’m available for selection for Round 1 at this stage,” Wigg said.
“That’s in your mind the whole time. I have to fight my way back. I have missed a fair chunk of training so I can’t really expect too much.
“I just have to try and make sure I work hard in rehab and train well.”
Wigg was attempting to turn to take a mark when he suffered the injury.
“The ball got kicked in and I went to turn around to go back and mark it but it just went on me,” Wigg said.
“At first it just felt like my ankle cracked like you crack your fingers but I went to put weight on it and couldn’t do it.”
I HAVE TO FIGHT MY WAY BACK. I HAVE MISSED A FAIR CHUNK OF TRAINING SO I CAN’T REALLY EXPECT TOO MUCH HARRISON WIGG ON ROUND 1