UTILITY Neville Jetta, who played his first match of the season against Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium on Saturday night, said he felt like a debutant.
Jetta, who missed the first 13 rounds of 2012 with an ankle injury, had played the past three matches in the VFL, before he was named for his first match of the season in Darwin. For the likeable Western Australian, it was a big relief to return.
.jpg)
Neeld backs Darwin push
“It was like playing my first game again - it’s been 17 weeks. First I had the shoulder surgery last September and then the first game back this year I hurt my ankle, so it was pretty bad luck,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“I was more nervous than anything, and had a few thoughts out there. But once I got on the field I was fine, and I’m just looking forward to stringing a few games together and staying out on the park.
“But it was good to get out with the boys again, although it was unfortunate we couldn’t win. So we’ve got a few things to work on.”
Jetta said it had been a “mental grind going through rehab” during his time out of the game.
“You feel secluded from everyone else and the playing group,” he said.
“You train by yourself in the gym every day, and you’ve got to do twice as much as everyone else, because you’ve got to catch up to their fitness.”
Jetta finished with 18 disposals and six inside 50s, and felt better for the run.
“Yeah, I thought I started off well, but I had a few nerves, which helped me get into the game quickly,” he said.
“But my legs ran out pretty quickly, and I had to manage myself coming on and off the bench.
“The fitness guys did pretty well.”
Jetta said he relished the opportunity to play in the top end, after tasting a one point win for Melbourne against Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium in 2010.
“The crowd was pretty passionate, and that’s one of the main things we get out of it,” he said.
“The boys are keen to keep playing up here - it’s my second time playing up here, after playing in 2010 when we had a one point win, and that was pretty exciting.”
Jetta, who missed the first 13 rounds of 2012 with an ankle injury, had played the past three matches in the VFL, before he was named for his first match of the season in Darwin. For the likeable Western Australian, it was a big relief to return.
Neeld backs Darwin push
“It was like playing my first game again - it’s been 17 weeks. First I had the shoulder surgery last September and then the first game back this year I hurt my ankle, so it was pretty bad luck,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“I was more nervous than anything, and had a few thoughts out there. But once I got on the field I was fine, and I’m just looking forward to stringing a few games together and staying out on the park.
“But it was good to get out with the boys again, although it was unfortunate we couldn’t win. So we’ve got a few things to work on.”
Jetta said it had been a “mental grind going through rehab” during his time out of the game.
“You feel secluded from everyone else and the playing group,” he said.
“You train by yourself in the gym every day, and you’ve got to do twice as much as everyone else, because you’ve got to catch up to their fitness.”
Jetta finished with 18 disposals and six inside 50s, and felt better for the run.
“Yeah, I thought I started off well, but I had a few nerves, which helped me get into the game quickly,” he said.
“But my legs ran out pretty quickly, and I had to manage myself coming on and off the bench.
“The fitness guys did pretty well.”
Jetta said he relished the opportunity to play in the top end, after tasting a one point win for Melbourne against Port Adelaide at TIO Stadium in 2010.
“The crowd was pretty passionate, and that’s one of the main things we get out of it,” he said.
“The boys are keen to keep playing up here - it’s my second time playing up here, after playing in 2010 when we had a one point win, and that was pretty exciting.”
