Border Mail |
WANGARATTA Rovers’ midfield stocks are in tatters after star recruit Sam Carpenter ruled himself out of action for at least the next month with hamstring problems.
A frustrated Carpenter revealed last night he had suffered a grade-two tear in his right hamstring and said he couldn’t see himself playing in the Hawks’ next five games.
Carpenter’s woes come hot on the heels of injury forcing champion ballwinner Andy Hill into an early retirement with neck problems and the departure of tough-nut John Pratt over the summer.
“The news isn’t too good,” Carpenter said.
“I’m looking at four to six weeks.
“It is deflating.
“Especially being at a new club.
“The first thing you want to do is earn the respect of your teammates and supporters and you do that by playing good footy.
“It’s all a bit frustrating but that’s the way footy is.”
Carpenter, who was plagued by constant hamstring troubles at Chelsea in 2011, said he would be “smarter” with his recovery this time and that he was confident of returning to his best.
He turned 26 last Sunday.
“Last year I didn’t miss a game,” Carpenter said.
“I just need to do the rehab and get it right.
“I’ll be a bit smarter this time.
“I’m pretty confident once we get it right it won’t be a problem.
“I think I can have an impact.”
Carpenter said he felt his hamstring “go” at the 15-minute mark of the first quarter during the Hawks’ embarrassing 66-point loss to Lavington last Saturday.
He stayed out on the ground after, spending plenty of time deep forward, but came to the bench late in the game when victory was out of reach.
“I knew when I did it that I’d be missing plenty of footy so I just stayed out there to try and have some form of impact,” he said.
“But I was pretty hopeless, to be honest.”
