Confidence key to Kane comeback

OVERCOMING the “mental challenges” surrounding a serious injury is a major hurdle for Colac champion Kane Leersen, who is edging closer to a potential return to the football field.

The Tigers great, who suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in a match against Grovedale last season, is weighing up his playing future as he completes the final stages of his rehabilitation.

Leersen (pictured) said athletes who suffered longterm injuries faced a number of “demons” on their road back to competitive sport.

“It’s a long and arduous process, there’s no other way to describe it,” he said.

“It’s a huge challenge for anyone, especially semi-professional and amateur athletes, because it’s a focus and not the focus.

“You get to a point where you think, ‘I’m feeling really good’, then you see (St Joseph’s) Riley Kershaw do his knee just this week and the mental challenges set back in.”

Despite the news of Kershaw’s second anterior cruciate ligament tear, Leersen said he hoped to return to the field for his Tigers in 2022.

“If it all keeps trending well, I plan on playing (this season),” he said.

“The confidence needs to be there to play at the level you’re comfortable with.

“It’s a week-to-week thing, the body feels good and the fitness and conditioning is in a good position, but priorities evolve over time and work and family situations change.

“The injuries can be so innocuous, I’ve been lucky to play 15 season of footy with no issues with injuries, that movement that I injured it

I’ve done thousands of times on a footy field.

“If I do get back out on the field I’ll know I’ve done everything I can and if I get hurt again I can ride off into the injury sunset knowing I grinded to get back out on the field.”