Matthew Leuenberger

[b_lions16]

As most of you may already know, things haven’t exactly gone to plan since I underwent surgery to repair the lateral meniscus after I injured me left knee in our match against the Swans back in Round 3.

The injury ruled me out for three months and has been a nuisance ever since.

After the initial operation, I started to feel a bit sick and my knee swelled up pretty badly. I just figured that was part of the after-effects of that type of surgery, so I decided to head back home to Perth where I could spend some time with my family while I recovered.

It wasn’t until I arrived in Perth that it really hit me. I became violently ill and my knee ached.

I was rushed back to hospital in Perth and discovered that I had a post-operation staphylococcus infection. The doctors basically put drains in my knee and flushed out the infection with saline to try and fix the problem.

After spending nine more days in hospital, I was eventually allowed to head back home to stay with my parents – but not without a 24-hour IV drip and plenty of oral antibiotics.

The infection left me with very little appetite and I ended up losing around 11kg. I finished up weighing around 93kg – which was the same weight I was back in 2006 when I first came to the Club.

I have since been pretty much under house arrest and carried a 24-hour IV drip around everywhere I go for a month. The drip had to be on me constantly in a bumbag which quickly became a regular part of my regular attire. Thankfully my blood tests have shown dramatic improvement over the past couple of weeks.

The hardest part for me was trying to put on the weight that I had lost. I’ve certainly become conscious of eating more than I probably need to and over indulging at times in an attempt to put on extra kilos. I have even been trying to eat extra meals between breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Mum has been great in helping look after me and cook some of my favourites, but I reckon I must have emptied her fridge out by now.

I developed a pretty strong training base throughout the pre-season, so the Club’s hoping the weight will come back pretty easy – particularly once I get stuck back into those leg weights.

The good news is that my microbiologist only yesterday gave me the all-clear to travel so I have booked a flight back on Friday.

I’ll probably go back to Brisbane via Melbourne so that I can watch the boys play North Melbourne on Saturday afternoon at Etihad Stadium.

http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsart...4/default.aspx

[lions_girl_4life]

Poor bloke. Chances are he will be one of the injury-riddled players.

[Jedstheman]

The crutches were only discarded on Monday.
And it wasn't so long ago he was hooked up to a 24-hour antibiotic drip.
But a recovering Matthew Leuenberger believes reclaiming the Lions' No.1 ruckman tag this season is a realistic goal.
Lions coach Michael Voss isn't so sure after the 20-year-old shed 11kg in two weeks when he contracted staph infection during his recovery from knee surgery.
"He's walking that tightrope on whether he plays again this year or next year," a concerned Voss said.
And Mitch Clark might have also have a big say in Leuenberger's plans.
Clark has surprised everyone with the ease in which he has stepped into the ruck role in the absence of not only Leuenberger but also the experienced Jamie Charman (ankle).
Even Leuenberger is a fan.
"I think he has been doing an amazing job," he told AAP.
"It was a real big ask for him to come in and ruck solo when he hasn't really done it before at senior level.
"He's been a big part of why the side is doing so well at the moment."
The Lions have cracked the top four nearing the halfway mark of the 2009 AFL season, an impressive achievement considering their injury toll which also includes key defenders Joel Patfull and Daniel Merrett.
"He is going to be hard to knock off his perch, because he has done so well," Leuenberger said of fellow WA product Clark.
"If he's No.1 and I am No.2 I can live with that but I am certainly going to be training and aiming to be the No.1.
"If it doesn't happen it won't bother me but it will make me a better player to aim for that.
"Maybe we could make a good ruck combination one day, you never know."
Leuenberger is aiming for a round 19 return.
It is a big call from a bloke who returned to Brisbane to begin his rehabilitation just days ago.
Playing AFL football seemed a long term prospect indeed when Leuenberger was hooked up to a drip at his parents' WA home recently.
After breaking down in a round three win over Sydney almost two months ago, Leuenberger underwent surgery in Brisbane then returned home to WA to recover - only to go under the knife days later due to the infection.
Following nine days in a Perth hospital, Leuenberger was then hooked up to a drip at his parents' house as his blood was constantly monitored.
Months after initially undergoing surgery, Leuenberger finally got the all clear from medical staff and flew into Brisbane on Saturday night.
He is now "ripping in" at rehabilitation as he recovers from his second serious knee injury in as many seasons.
Overall injuries have restricted the 2006 No.4 Draft pick to just 22 AFL games.
"I have tried asking people why, but I get mixed answers," Leuenberger said of his shocking injury run.
"Some say it is because my body is still growing. But I think it is more just bad luck to be honest."
Rather than asking "why", Leuenberger these days is asking "why not".
"I believe I can return this season. I can do it," he said.
"The thing is we don't really know what to expect. We would have known had it just been the knee but having had an infection too we don't know.
"It will be a learning experience for all of us."
AAP


Burger is back in Vegas but as he says he is weary of Mitch Clarke and would play second fiddle to him if he had too........... amazing that when mentioning his return in rd19 to the Coach Vossy says Mitch Clarke might have something to say about it.....Bloody Lovett Burger is talkin Smack and he is nine weeks away

[lions_girl_4life]

ANy combo of our three ruckman would be a damn good ruck combo

[worbsy]

...if Charmo can come back in-form for once! He used to be awesome.

[b_lions16]

I might be showing personal bias here, but I reckon Mitch Clark has been one of the most improved players in AFL competition this year.

Since Jamie Charman and I both went down with injuries early on in the season, Mitch has been forced to shoulder most of the team’s ruck duties by himself.

His role is likely to continue for the rest of the season as well with Charmo out until next year with an ankle injury while I’m still probably a bit over a month away from returning.

While Mitch played a fair bit in the ruck during his junior years, he has become better known as a key forward since joining the Club in 2006.

He earned a Rising Star nomination for a five goal performance up forward against Collingwood at the Gabba in 2007 and has even been trialled in defence as a tall and mobile centre half-back.

His successful transition to the ruck has been just another feather in his cap and is further proof of how versatile the big fella really is.

Despite only playing sparingly in the ruck for the first month of the season, Mitch has since shown that he can match it with the best in the business.

He is currently ranked sixth among all ruckmen in total disposals (185), third in tackles (46), seventh in hitouts (244) and third in marks (68). He has also had more rebound 50s (22) than any other ruckman in the competition.

Most importantly, he has played in every match for the Club so far this season and is quickly becoming one of the team’s most important players.

It’s been a massive effort particularly considering he managed only 22 senior matches in his first three seasons in the AFL.

I think Mitch is really enjoying the responsibility and challenge of being the team’s number one ruckman.

He has been ably supported in the ruck by Jared Brennan, who at only 195cm has been more than helpful as his back-up. Jared has helped Mitch get a breather every now and then and was particularly good in the ruck during the final quarter against Hawthorn back in Round 12.

Even regular full-back Daniel Merrett got into the action last Saturday night against Melbourne and showed that he can have a crack in the middle when Mitch needs a break.

It’s reassuring to know that these guys are really standing up in the absence of our injured ruckmen. The same has occurred recently in defence with the likes of Lachlan Henderson, Jason Roe and Joel Macdonald doing the job down back in the absence of Daniel Merrett, Josh Drummond and Joel Patfull.

The Club is very big on having a depth of talent that can help fill any voids left by injuries.

Before I finish, I would like to send my thoughts out to Lions Development Coach Craig Brittain who is currently in hospital battling a post-operative staphylococcus infection after having surgery on his knee.

It is pretty similar to the one I suffered a couple of months ago after my knee operation and I wish him all the best with his recovery.

http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsart...7/default.aspx

[lions_girl_4life]

I didn't hear about the Development Coach - hope you get better mate

[b_lions16]

DESPITE a staph scare, injured Brisbane Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger said he would be OK with going under the knife at St Andrew's Hospital again. As Lions assistant coach Craig Brittain continues to fight the staph infection that has kept him in the Brisbane hospital for five weeks, Leuenberger said he would return to St Andrew's despite his own terrifying post-operative battle.
He lost 11kg and spent an extra nine days in hospital after contracting an infection following knee surgery at St Andrew's in April.
An investigation has cleared the Gabba of being the source of the staph that struck down Leuenberger and Brittain.
Tests revealed staph was on one of the club's massage tables, but was not the strain that floored the duo.
The director of medical services at St Andrew's, Dr Ian Brandon, said in a statement the infections were community-acquired.
Lions CEO Michael Bowers said last week the club was satisfied the hospital was not the source of the super bug.
Leuenberger, 21, said he had no time for the blame game as he continued his rehabilitation from a lateral meniscus tear - with a view to a comeback in Round 22.
"You can't be pointing the finger," Leuenberger said.
"It could have come from anywhere.
"You just don't know, so you have to get on with things.
"I haven't thought about it much, but I would be OK with going back there to St Andrew's."
Leuenberger - who returned to Perth for part of his recuperation - has visited Brittain a number of times since the assistant coach went in for a routine knee operation in June.
The infection in Brittain's knee spread to the bone and he has had a number of post-operative procedures to flush out the infection with anti-biotics.
Leuenberger said being bedside with Brittain brought back bad memories of his fight against staph.
"I was in there for nine days and that was enough for me," Leuenberger said.
"I really struggled with it, so I find it hard to imagine what he is going through.
"I weighed in the night I did my knee and I was 104kg. By the time I got out I was 93kg. (He now tips the scales at 101kg.)
"It took me years to put that weight on and to see it go so fast was scary.
"I wanted to go up and see Craig, and see how he was doing because he's been there for a while now.
"He's pretty frustrated, which is understandable. He can't wait to get home."
Leuenberger's left knee was manipulated under anaesthetic on Friday in a bid to increase the range of movement.
He said the knee was locking at 120 degrees and the procedure would be crucial to his comeback.
"The recovery slowed down a bit and a lot will depend on how it comes up after the manipulation," Leuenberger said.
"I've started running, just doing straight run-throughs and that's been going well.
"It's just a matter of breaking through this scar tissue so I can get that extra range back in the knee.
"We'll just have to see how it goes because I'd love to get back playing footy before the end of the season."
Leuenberger broke down in the Round 3 win over Sydney at the Gabba and his late-season return for the Lions would give the club a significant boost.
Fellow ruckman Jamie Charman was struck down with a season-ending ankle injury the next week in Brisbane's loss to Collingwood.
Mitch Clark has done an exceptional job of filling the void.
But a successful Leuenberger comeback would give Brisbane another key position option.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...016181,00.html

[lions_girl_4life]

Can't wait for the young fella to get back, when is he expected again?

[worbsy]

rd 22 it says... I doubt his chances though. He'd need time in the reserves, and my guess is he's gone for the season.