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From Realfooty
Wounded Tiger slowly clawing his way back
By Chloe Saltau
January 13 2003
The occasional twinge in a muscle of Rory Hilton's left arm is the only reminder of the moment that defined, and ended, his season last year.
In one respect, the dislocated shoulder and the complications that followed amounted to just another long-term injury for the young Tiger, with all the frustrations that were so familiar to him from injuries past.
In another, the manner in which the joint was ripped from his socket against Melbourne in round three ensured that while Hilton was gone from the football field, he was not forgotten.
Hilton's instinctive decision to throw himself into the path of David Neitz as the Demon captain steamed out of the forward line was instantly etched into the minds of Richmond folk as the ultimate act of sacrifice.
Hilton was collected by Neitz and trotted off the ground with his arm hanging by his side, bound for hospital. That night, coach Danny Frawley hailed him as the man whose fearlessness had possessed his teammates with the will to go on and win the game.
"I think I ran from the half-forward flank to cut off the lead and I was one second too early or one second too late. David Neitz is a pretty big fella," Hilton said.
"In a way it's probably been good in the sense that when you get injured, sometimes you feel a bit like a forgotten person. But I guess with the hype that surrounded the injury, you don't want to create that sort of drama. I was a bit embarrassed by it, really."
Still, the sheepishness Hilton felt at being lauded as a hero for a split-second piece of play had nothing on the frustration that set in as it emerged he had done more damage than first thought and, around the middle of the year, was told he must join knee victims Marc Dragicevic and Ben Holland on the sidelines for the rest of the season. This after both player and team had enjoyed a 2001 season so full of promise.
"Realistically it was going to be 10 weeks, so I'd get back around the split round. It was all going fine, but the auxillary nerve had been damaged and it wasn't allowing the deltoid muscle to function. I couldn't lift my arm, and it stayed that way for about three months," Hilton recalled.
One specialist told him if the damage to the nerve was much greater it might have threatened not only his season but his football career. "That was a bit frightening and there were some stages where it wasn't healing that quickly, then it would have a burst for a month or so and go really well."
That Hilton, who played less than two-and-a-half games of football, was still an important off-field presence was shown when, at the best-and-fairest presentation, Frawley bestowed on him the award for best club man. "I don't think I did a lot and I don't think I handled the injury too well, but I did the training and I got to stages where . . . I'd get a bit of a lift," he said.
Now the shoulder and nerve have healed, giving Hilton real reason for optimism as the new season draws closer and Richmond prepares to improve on its dismal 2002, when it finished 14th after playing in a preliminary final the previous year.
"I'm hoping to start off on the half-back flank and just play some footy, really. I will have had about 12 months out of football, but at the same time I like to set goals and achieve them," Hilton said.
"I still get a little bit of pain in the muscle where the nerve is probably still a little bit aggravated, but I'm doing everything now and feeling comfortable and confident about this year."
Wounded Tiger slowly clawing his way back
By Chloe Saltau
January 13 2003
The occasional twinge in a muscle of Rory Hilton's left arm is the only reminder of the moment that defined, and ended, his season last year.
In one respect, the dislocated shoulder and the complications that followed amounted to just another long-term injury for the young Tiger, with all the frustrations that were so familiar to him from injuries past.
In another, the manner in which the joint was ripped from his socket against Melbourne in round three ensured that while Hilton was gone from the football field, he was not forgotten.
Hilton's instinctive decision to throw himself into the path of David Neitz as the Demon captain steamed out of the forward line was instantly etched into the minds of Richmond folk as the ultimate act of sacrifice.
Hilton was collected by Neitz and trotted off the ground with his arm hanging by his side, bound for hospital. That night, coach Danny Frawley hailed him as the man whose fearlessness had possessed his teammates with the will to go on and win the game.
"I think I ran from the half-forward flank to cut off the lead and I was one second too early or one second too late. David Neitz is a pretty big fella," Hilton said.
"In a way it's probably been good in the sense that when you get injured, sometimes you feel a bit like a forgotten person. But I guess with the hype that surrounded the injury, you don't want to create that sort of drama. I was a bit embarrassed by it, really."
Still, the sheepishness Hilton felt at being lauded as a hero for a split-second piece of play had nothing on the frustration that set in as it emerged he had done more damage than first thought and, around the middle of the year, was told he must join knee victims Marc Dragicevic and Ben Holland on the sidelines for the rest of the season. This after both player and team had enjoyed a 2001 season so full of promise.
"Realistically it was going to be 10 weeks, so I'd get back around the split round. It was all going fine, but the auxillary nerve had been damaged and it wasn't allowing the deltoid muscle to function. I couldn't lift my arm, and it stayed that way for about three months," Hilton recalled.
One specialist told him if the damage to the nerve was much greater it might have threatened not only his season but his football career. "That was a bit frightening and there were some stages where it wasn't healing that quickly, then it would have a burst for a month or so and go really well."
That Hilton, who played less than two-and-a-half games of football, was still an important off-field presence was shown when, at the best-and-fairest presentation, Frawley bestowed on him the award for best club man. "I don't think I did a lot and I don't think I handled the injury too well, but I did the training and I got to stages where . . . I'd get a bit of a lift," he said.
Now the shoulder and nerve have healed, giving Hilton real reason for optimism as the new season draws closer and Richmond prepares to improve on its dismal 2002, when it finished 14th after playing in a preliminary final the previous year.
"I'm hoping to start off on the half-back flank and just play some footy, really. I will have had about 12 months out of football, but at the same time I like to set goals and achieve them," Hilton said.
"I still get a little bit of pain in the muscle where the nerve is probably still a little bit aggravated, but I'm doing everything now and feeling comfortable and confident about this year."
