ONE of the Hampden league's most promising footballers played the final series with a stress fracture in his leg.
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North Warrnambool Eagles defender Charlie McKinnon, who turned 16 at the end of October, hopes to return to running before Christmas after spending time in a moon boot post the Eagles' grand final loss to South Warrnambool.
The Vic Country under 16 representative told The Standard he was confident the injury setback wouldn't harm his goal of making GWV Rebels' 2024 Coates Talent League squad.
"I am on the mend. I had an MRI and it was a stress fracture, a fracture and nearly a break but wasn't quite," he told The Standard.
"I am aiming to be running by around Christmas but more likely after Christmas time and be back to (full training) end of January, start of February."
McKinnon said pain in his leg first appeared in August during a round 17 match against Warrnambool.
But the official diagnosis wasn't confirmed until grand final day a month later.
"I jumped up and landed a bit funny (against the Blues) and then they (doctors) reckon that kick-started it and it just started getting worse from there," McKinnon said.
"I knew it was pretty bad but I didn't know it was that bad and by the grand final it was very sore."
He tried everything during the Eagles' finals campaign to get on top of the injury, unaware of its severity.
"Because it's fibula, it's on the side of your calf and I thought I had a sore calf," McKinnon said.
"I was going for a massage and every morning I'd go to the beach because we were on school holidays before the grand final.
"I got a rub on it every quarter but nothing would really help. I got dry needling as well and that made it so much worse. That just makes it so much more sensitive."
McKinnon, who avoided surgery, was in a moon boot the day after the grand final and had an MRI roughly a week or so later.
"I was in the moon boot for a month and have been slowly getting back," he said.
"I got out of it a week or two ago. It took a bit to walk without pain but now it's starting to get to where I can walk around with no problem."
The injury has hindered McKinnon's basketball squad season with Warrnambool too.
He has missed four tournaments thus far and is hoping to suit up for the Bendigo competition in late January before the 2024 state championships.
The ultimate teammate, the Emmanuel College student has been his under 18 team's biggest supporter, attending all four competitions to date.
Football plans are also impacted with McKinnon to miss the Rebels' trial matches in December but past performances might have done enough to pique selectors' attention.
A longer-term goal for 2024 is to make the AFL under 17 futures squad and get the chance to play on the MCG on grand final day.
Justine McCullagh-Beasy
Sports journalist with an interest in feature reporting. Email: justine.mc@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Sports journalist with an interest in feature reporting. Email: justine.mc@austcommunitymedia.com.au
