A BRAND NEW DAY
He’s making yet another AFL comeback today but Sam Day just wants to avoid his orange curse, as Tom Boswell writes
IF the baggy green is the most sought-after cap in Australian sport, than the orange hat in football must be the most dreaded.
For Gold Coast Suns player Sam Day, orange has become a colour he avoids at all costs after battling through injury throughout many stages of his seven year AFL career so far.
“Every time someone tried to hand me the hat before training I’d shake it away,” Day said in March following his latest injury comeback, this time his shoulder.
“It’s not something to be proud about and hopefully I am rid of it for good now.”
The 26-year-old inaugural Suns player, taken with pick 3 of the 2010 draft, has battled in recent years with his body but his challenge in 2019 has been earning senior selection.
Day will play his first AFL game of the year today when the Suns face St Kilda in Round 13 in Townsville, just less than 12 months after his last senior game on June 23 last year against Hawthorn.
Day missed the entire 2017 season after dislocating his hip in the JLT Series, something that had many people believing his career was over.
He made an inspirational comeback in 2018 and played all but one of the club’s first 12 AFL games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Hawthorn in Round 14 and required surgery.
It was 2014 when Day last played all 22 games and had a clean bill of health but the comeback king has been tireless in his bid to make something of his talent.
“It feels like a while ago, that 2014 season,” Day said.
“But I guess the injuries I have had haven’t been in my control. They have been impact injuries.
“I haven’t had recurring soft-tissue injuries or anything so I don’t think there is any reason why I can’t get back to being that same durable player.
“In my first four years I played (63) games. Hopefully I can get back to that.”
The 197cm swingman finished his shoulder rehabilitation in January and if there was any lingering doubt about its strength, they were put to bed when he tested it out against Suns assistant and former Essendon premiership player Dean Solomon – who still carries a bigger frame than most of Gold Coast’s playing list. When key forward Tom Lynch went to Richmond there were no shortage of players tussling with Day for the vacant role in front of goal next to Peter Wright. Yet it was Chris Burgess, Josh Corbett and draftees Jack Lukosius and Ben King who got the nod ahead of the man who has played more than 100 games for the club.
Day has always preferred to play forward but has been used at either end of the ground throughout his career.
He has been eager to settle in front of goal but has now been thrust into a backline without injured talls Rory Thompson and Sam Collins.
Day told the Bulletin this week he remained eager to resign with Gold Coast as he prepares to come out of contract at the end of this season and he and partner Ali Thomas are putting the finishing touches on a property they have been building in Burleigh Waters.
It just happens to be in the vicinity of fellow inaugural Sun and Gold Coast captain David Swallow.
“It will be a bit of a change in lifestyle from living in Bundall,” Day said of his shift closer to the beach.
“Dave and I might be able to wave at each other from our balconies. Our partners are good friends so it will be cool.”