GIANT on the comeback trail

By Alison Zell

It was billed as Setanta O’hAilpin’s dream debut with the GWS GIANTS, with the Irishman playing his first game for his new side against the club that had let him go.

But the dream quickly turned to disaster when O’hAilpin ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in last year’s Round 6 match against Carlton, just three quarters into his 2012 season.

At 30-years-old, some thought O’hAilpin may hang up the boots. But the ruckman has spent the past year diligently completing rehabilitation on his injured knee, and helping his team mates both on and off the field.

“The back-room staff have done an amazing job,” O’hAilpin said.

“They’ve given me a program to do and I just do it to the best of my ability but I’ve been fortunate enough that everything’s gone right so far.

“I’ve just ticked all the boxes as such.”

O’hAilpin has been so meticulous that coach Kevin Sheedy named him as one of the most impressive performers of the GIANTS’ pre-season.

“Setanta O’hAilpin has really trained well after a knee operation,” Sheedy said last week.

“It’s early days but he’s really putting his hand up and saying, ‘My career’s not over.’”

O’hAilpin said his recovery is ahead of schedule, as he eyes off a return for the GIANTS’ Round 1 clash with the reigning premiers, the Sydney Swans.

“I’ve been happy with the way my strength’s coming and It’s just over the next two or three weeks getting used to the contact, so just doing a lot of tackling drills and contested marking,” he said.

“If I come through that unscathed, I’ll be looking forward to Round 1 if possible so if I can do that; that will be amazing.”

O’hAilpin’s season away from football led to many other opportunities, including working with the local community in western Sydney, and being named an AFL NSW/ACT Multicultural Ambassador.

“You never know when you’re football is going to come to an end, whether it’s through injury or something else,” O’hAilpin said.

“I’ve always had in the back of my mind that one day it’s going to come to an end so I guess looking back at it now, it was a blessing that I got the opportunity to be involved in things outside of football.

“Being involved in the multicultural ambassador role has just broadened my horizons on something I’d like to do outside of my playing days and it’s a role that I see as long-term.”

A popular figure within the GIANTS squad, O’hAilpin is looking forward to his comeback, with a side he sees as having a very bright future.

“They’re kids at the end of the day and to play AFL and be at a consistent level, year-in and year-out, it takes three or four years,” he said.

“These kids, although they’re the top talent in the country over the last two years, it’s going to take time. 

“So we’re taking every day as it comes, week-by-week and year-by-year and putting it into fruition over the next five years is something we’re all looking forward to.”