Ocean Grove Football Club senior playing coach Jordan Jones has confirmed he will not play senior football again in 2019.
An MRI revealed the 28-year-old had ruptured his meniscus in his right knee after the club’s loss to Queenscliff on 20 April.
Jones said the earlier diagnosis meant it would be a 4-6 week knee injury, but on surgeon’s advice it was confirmed he will miss the rest of the season.
Jones confirmed he was booked in for knee surgery this month.
“I have ruptured my meniscus the part I have ruptured attaches to the bone and that needs to be replaced,” Jones told the Voice.
“The surgeon said the recovery time-frame is almost as slow or slower as an ACL (knee injury).
“I will be in a brace for six weeks which means I have got to keep my leg straight for six weeks.
“I can’t put any weight on it and I will be on crutches for 4-6 weeks as well.
“The physiotherapist and orthopedic surgeon have said it will be six months until you can play sport again – or even go for a surf.”
It was a blow for Ocean Grove which recruited Jones as a one-point player during the off-season and compounds the Grubbers’ poor 0-4 start to 2019.
The former Williamstown VFL player only played two senior games for the Grubbers in 2019 in Round 1 and Round 3 and missed the Drysdale clash in Round 2 with a perforated eardrum.
He said he was disappointed he could not play again this season.
“It is very disappointing I didn’t get to come back and enjoy my footy and lead by example on the field,” he said.
“But it is what it is I can’t change it and I am not going to dwell on that and I am going to focus on coaching.
“There is obviously a part of me that I feel that I have let the boys down – I guess from where I have come from I have been playing VFL last year and I certainly wanted to come and be the best player I can for our footy club.”
