Lions fans across the country collectively held their breath as Rich was carried from the field after his knee buckled during the second quarter of last Saturday’s match against Gold Coast.
Their worst fears were confirmed on Monday when scans revealed the 23-year-old had ruptured his ACL and would require a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
If there were any positives to take out of a bad situation, it’s that the injury could have been worse, according to Strength and Conditioning Coach Matt Hass.
“It wasn’t very good news for Dan, but if there is any silver lining it’s that he hasn’t done his PCL meniscus or lateral ligaments. It’s purely an ACL, and they’re slightly easier to reconstruct in rehab,” Hass told LIONS TV as part of the Bupa Recovery Report.
“He flies down to Melbourne tomorrow (Wednesday) to meet with his surgeon, Dr. Julian Feller, and then we’ll have it reconstructed on Thursday.
“His first month post-surgery will be pretty quiet. For 10 days he’s resting until his post-op consult with the surgeon and our medical team. From there, there will be a bit of hands on physio, trying to reduce the swelling and the joint will be immobilised for a large part of that.”
Hass also revealed that Rich would be opting for a traditional reconstruction rather than the more controversial LARS surgery.
“Obviously it’s a discussion for the surgeon and the player, but Dan will be getting a traditional reconstruction,” he said.
