The Courier |
THE last time former Hawthorn forward Tim Boyle played in a competitive match of football, he left the field with an injury that ended his AFL career.
When Boyle ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the Hawks’ VFL affiliate Box Hill in 2009, a promising career at the highest level was over.
But tomorrow the 29-year-old puts all that behind him when he runs out for Waubra in its Central Highlands Football League clash with Illabarook.
The home fixture against the winless Bulldogs will be the ideal return for Boyle, who says he is looking forward to getting his hands back on the footy after years away from the game.
“I haven’t really thought about it that much. I’m hoping it’s going to be fun. That’s the main thing. I’m looking forward to having a kick because I haven’t had one for so long,” Boyle told The Courier before his training session last night.
“It’ll be a surprise to me probably, whatever happens. I really don’t know.”
Boyle joins Waubra partly through a connection with his housemate, fellow Roos player Stuart Oliver.
The former Hawk, who played 31 AFL games, said his knee was feeling alright, but isn’t forecasting any remarkable returns to the game after so long on the sidelines.
“I probably just caught myself inside the window of being permanently retired,” Boyle said.
“I didn’t think I’d play again, but if I was going to it would be in these kind of circumstances, I guess.”
Boyle has been named at full forward alongside the returning Lee Brown, who is back for his first match since injury struck in round four against Learmonth.
The undefeated Roos, which will be without forward Tim Madden (hamstring), take on an Illabarook side that remains the only team in the competition yet to register a victory and one that coughed up a winnable fixture against Rokewood-Corindhap before the long weekend bye.
PREDICTION: Waubra comfortably.
