Wanderers lose their way as injuries strike McLean joins growing list of stars on sideline
Anything but a lost retiree, Montagna embraces the freedom
NIGHTCLIFF WANDERERS TODAY, 4PM, PSC BM OVAL EAGLESI P Kossack F James K Kossack L Holt Fitz C Ilett P Scanlon AN injury-ravaged Wanderers face a big test of character today when they tackle in-form Nightcliff at the NTFL Tigers’ home ground.
Wanderers are staring at a fourth successive loss at Nightcliff’s hands following a productive period up until the middle of November.
Foremost in those defeats was a 75-point thrashing by Waratah at Gardens Oval, a result no one saw coming.
“We’ve been swamped by injuries,” coach Mo Motlop said this week. “Right from when our captain Jarred Erlandson went down with a knee injury against St Mary’s, we’ve had to change our game around.”
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Montagna calls it the little man on his shoulder.
For the past 16 years he’s always been there. Whether the Saints star was out for a beer with mates, having dinner at a restaurant with his wife or lying on a beach in Bali, that little man would not go away. Now he’s gone. “Every time you would eat something or go and have a beer, you’re thinking about your skin folds and how you’ve him until the New Year and there was more bad news on the injury front this week when Braedon McLean hurt an ankle at training.
“It’s such an even competition, where no games are easy anymore,” Motlop said. got to do your run and weights at some stage that day,” Montagna explains.
“It’s nice not to have that little man there anymore because now you don’t have to worry about it.
“If I don’t feel like going for a run, you don’t have to. If you feel like eating or drinking whatever, just go for it.
“That’s the way I have described not being an AFL player anymore at the moment,
“To be without your top-tier players and have to rely on second- and third-tier players week in, week out is a big ask and it has hurt us.
“Hopefully we can get through this and come out fresh and ready to go after Christmas, and do enough to make the finals.”
Nightcliff will be without Nichols medallist Troy Coates for the 4pm game, but get former Buffalo forward Luke Clark and key position player Patrick White back.
“We’re all about consistency and being able to compete on a regular basis with the St Mary’s and Southern Districts of the competition,” coach Chris Baksh said. “The players s know that and while we’ve shown a bit of form in the last month, we’re e also aware Wanderers don’t lose e four games in a row very often.”
“It’s such an even competition, where no games are easy anymore”
just having that nice bit of freedom.”
Montagna is in a “good headspace” three months into his new life but can see how the transition might be harder.
“I can see how some players might struggle, that structure of your day-to-day life is gone and now it’s up to you to get a lot more motivated and a bit more organised,” he said.
“Everything has always been planned for you but now if you want to do exercise, for example, you have to make it happen.”
Travis Cloke’s career ended 12 months earlier than he had expected but in many ways the timing was perfect given the birth of his daughter Scarlett.
“I really haven’t had the time to realise yet that I’m not playing footy. I’m probably just as tired now as I was when I was playing,” Cloke said.
He knows a reality jolt is coming because, like many, he’s never known anything different than life inside a club.
“I was drafted as a 17-yearold in Year 11 at school, so I don’t know any different,” Cloke explained.
“I’ve always had this structure and routine. Be at school at 8.30am, that was the same with footy, be at training at 8am and finish at 4pm.
“It has been like that my whole life.”