Injury nightmare won’t keep Roos down
THE Robina Roos will spend the remainder of their QFAW Division One campaign “playing for” fallen teammates after three players suffered seasonending knee injuries, sparking a ripple of additional player departures early in the season.
The 2019 league leading goalkicker Roslyn Manns, winger Meredith Calcino and coach Gaven Johnston-Smith’s daughter Lexi have all suffered season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries after just three matches.
Seeing their teammates ruled out for 12 months has prompted about five additional Robina players to pull the plug on their footy seasons, fearful of losing their jobs should they suffer similar injuries.
It follows news of Robina being forced to withdraw their Division 2 reserves side after some seven players opted to sit out the entire 2020 season following the COVID shutdown.
Johnston-Smith said that although the spate of injuries and departures left a big hole in his starting side, Robina would be better in the long run.
“We started with blades of glory but it’s slowly coming to a grinding halt,” he said.
“It’s been a tragic run and they were all pretty innocuous change of direction injuries.
“Injuries provide opportunities and when one door closes, another opens for someone else so we’ve had a lot of new girls step up and get rewarded for their hard work.
“It’s good for women’s footy in general and a credit to us that we’re still developing players who might have not received those opportunities in o
Among its list of seasoned Aussie rules players, Robina has also added a handful of cross-code talents including hockey players, softballers and netballers. On Saturday, Robina host Broadbeach at home.
In QAFLW action, Coolangatta Tweed plays Coorparoo at home while Bond hosts Wilston Grange on Sunday.