'The pain he went through last night, he won't feel anything like that again'
Brett Kimmorley has been there - and he reckons Lockyer will be right for Friday, writes Brad Walter.
Having had similar surgery to Darren Lockyer, former Test halfback Brett Kimmorley believes the Broncos great may be able to play in Friday night's grand final qualifier against Manly at the SFS.
Kimmorley suffered a fractured cheekbone in the second-last round of the 2009 competition and, like Lockyer, had three plates inserted in his face.
While he did not play for three weeks, Kimmorley had received a clearance to return a week after his operation but the Bulldogs decided not to risk him as they were guaranteed a top two finish and a second chance in the first weekend of finals matches.
''I couldn't tell you whether I could have played straight away. But obviously, [after] the pain he went through last night, I don't think he will feel anything like that again. It is probably highly unlikely he would break it again because of how strong it is, so if physically he is all right, I think there is a chance he will play,'' Kimmorley said.
''I didn't get operated on until the Monday afternoon, so I had waited nearly 24 hours and apart from coming out of surgery and feeling a little bit sore for about a day, the relief you get when they fix it is unbelievable.
''By tomorrow afternoon, I would expect he has a bit of a dull pain but certainly nothing like what it was. I took pain killers for the first 24 hours and that was about it.
''I got a few knocks the week I returned against Parramatta and they were certainly not as painful as when it happened.''
The former Newcastle back-rower Marc Glanville also made an early return in a 1995 finals match against Manly after suffering a depressed cheekbone fracture
and the Knights doctor Peter McGeoch said he believed Lockyer had similar surgery.
''The surgeon is obviously confident that with the plates on it is structurally sound, and if that is the case, I imagine they would be playing him if the pain and swelling has gone down,'' McGeoch said. ''Marc didn't have any major problems.''
The former Knights five-eighth Matthew Johns also played a finals match in 1999 after fracturing his cheekbone the previous week, while Canberra fullback Josh Dugan played last season with a cheekbone fracture. However, neither required surgery.
Other well-known cases of players taking the field soon after facial surgery include Richmond AFL star Matthew Richardson in 2003 and England football captain John Terry in 2007.
Lockyer is expected to wear specially-made headgear to protect the injury but it is unlikely to be like the Hannibal Lecter mask that former Rabbitohs winger Andrew Willett wore in the 1994 Sydney rugby union grand final.
Former Roosters hooker Simon Bonetti played in the 2002 grand final after being cleared of a fractured cheekbone but he later suffered a similar injury playing soccer and doubts Lockyer would be able to take the field against Manly.
''It was pretty painful,'' Bonetti said. ''Obviously it is a big occasion, but I think I would have struggled to play. I had to get a plate and screws put in. I was out for about a month after that. I knew something was wrong straight away. I'm not usually one to rush off to hospital but I went off and got X-rays, and got operated on three days later.''
With Glenn Jackson
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/the-pain-he-went-through-last-night-he-wont-feel-anything-like-that-again-20110918-1kg6t.html#ixzz1YMjELUFW
Brett Kimmorley has been there - and he reckons Lockyer will be right for Friday, writes Brad Walter.
Having had similar surgery to Darren Lockyer, former Test halfback Brett Kimmorley believes the Broncos great may be able to play in Friday night's grand final qualifier against Manly at the SFS.
Kimmorley suffered a fractured cheekbone in the second-last round of the 2009 competition and, like Lockyer, had three plates inserted in his face.
While he did not play for three weeks, Kimmorley had received a clearance to return a week after his operation but the Bulldogs decided not to risk him as they were guaranteed a top two finish and a second chance in the first weekend of finals matches.
''I couldn't tell you whether I could have played straight away. But obviously, [after] the pain he went through last night, I don't think he will feel anything like that again. It is probably highly unlikely he would break it again because of how strong it is, so if physically he is all right, I think there is a chance he will play,'' Kimmorley said.
''I didn't get operated on until the Monday afternoon, so I had waited nearly 24 hours and apart from coming out of surgery and feeling a little bit sore for about a day, the relief you get when they fix it is unbelievable.
''By tomorrow afternoon, I would expect he has a bit of a dull pain but certainly nothing like what it was. I took pain killers for the first 24 hours and that was about it.
''I got a few knocks the week I returned against Parramatta and they were certainly not as painful as when it happened.''
The former Newcastle back-rower Marc Glanville also made an early return in a 1995 finals match against Manly after suffering a depressed cheekbone fracture
and the Knights doctor Peter McGeoch said he believed Lockyer had similar surgery.
''The surgeon is obviously confident that with the plates on it is structurally sound, and if that is the case, I imagine they would be playing him if the pain and swelling has gone down,'' McGeoch said. ''Marc didn't have any major problems.''
The former Knights five-eighth Matthew Johns also played a finals match in 1999 after fracturing his cheekbone the previous week, while Canberra fullback Josh Dugan played last season with a cheekbone fracture. However, neither required surgery.
Other well-known cases of players taking the field soon after facial surgery include Richmond AFL star Matthew Richardson in 2003 and England football captain John Terry in 2007.
Lockyer is expected to wear specially-made headgear to protect the injury but it is unlikely to be like the Hannibal Lecter mask that former Rabbitohs winger Andrew Willett wore in the 1994 Sydney rugby union grand final.
Former Roosters hooker Simon Bonetti played in the 2002 grand final after being cleared of a fractured cheekbone but he later suffered a similar injury playing soccer and doubts Lockyer would be able to take the field against Manly.
''It was pretty painful,'' Bonetti said. ''Obviously it is a big occasion, but I think I would have struggled to play. I had to get a plate and screws put in. I was out for about a month after that. I knew something was wrong straight away. I'm not usually one to rush off to hospital but I went off and got X-rays, and got operated on three days later.''
With Glenn Jackson
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/the-pain-he-went-through-last-night-he-wont-feel-anything-like-that-again-20110918-1kg6t.html#ixzz1YMjELUFW
