Angus avoids finger of fate
ANY South Sydney fan questioning Angus Crichton’s commitment to the club need only look at his hand.
Crichton made the dramatic decision to have his middle finger on his left hand amputated this week in order to start the 2018 season with Souths.
The amputation is below the middle knuckle.
Crichton’s manager David Rawlings was reluctant to discuss the procedure but confirmed the player had the operation.
Crichton had several surgeries on his middle finger after rupturing the tendon while playing in the under-20 competition.
The back-rower essentially had no knuckle on the finger, severely limiting his range of movement.
He has broken the finger many times over the past two seasons, which has required four fusions to repair.
Writing for the PlayersVoice website this month, Crichton revealed how difficult the finger injury had been to deal with.
“My finger has been an ongoing injury I’ve had since I was playing in the under-20s,” he wrote.
“Originally, I ruptured the tendon and this is the sixth surgery I’ve had on it.
“It’s the middle finger in my left hand and, a while back, I got it fused. I’ve got no knuckle in it. The doctor said I could either cut it off halfway or fuse it. I’ve had it fused several times now because I keep breaking it.
“I can’t bend the finger, so it’s like I’m constantly giving people the bird. If I clench my fist, my middle finger sticks out.
“I’ve decided this is the last time I’m getting it fused. It’s the fourth fusion that’s broken and if it happens again I’m going to have it cut it in half, because I’m just over it.
THE DOCTOR SAID I COULD EITHER CUT IT OFF HALFWAY OR FUSE IT. ANGUS CRICHTON ON HIS FINGER
“It might leave me with only half a finger but I guess it would save a lot of confusion.”
After signing a three-year deal with the Roosters from 2019, Crichton was told he needed another operation on his hand.
This time he’d had enough, with the latest procedure to fix it slated to sideline him for 12 weeks. That would have meant he’d miss the start of the season and Crichton refused to accept that.
Instead, he chose amputation and a recovery time of two weeks.