Mini drives to Hell and Back
Ten months - ten long and painful months of heartache, pain, agony, torment and pure hard work. This has been the story for the past year for the former Australian, NSW and current Sydney Roosters fullback Anthony Minichello.
Anthony Minichello has not played a first grade game since April last year when his L5 disc lodged against his sciatic nerve which was described by doctors as they worst they have seen.
It took not only surgery to fix the problem but it took from him his 2006 season including Origin and Australian representative jumpers as well as enforcing on him months and months of rehab.
It at one stage was so bad that not only could he hardly get up, let alone do daily every life activities there was a possibility that he may never play football again.
But the 2005 Golden Boot winner did not let that get to him as his desire to make it back into that football jumper again grew and grew each day.
"At no stage has he given in. He's always had the bigger picture in mind. He has always had it in his head that he would play again,'' said Roosters strength and conditioning Coach Ben Gardner.
"He's showed a whole lot of desire and commitment."
Minichello does whatever he can to get back to the way he used to be.
"Even now, when I'm not doing anything at home, I'll jump on the Swiss ball while I'm watching telly - it's worth it,'' Minichiello said.
Although the progress that has been shown is outstanding this unfortunate injury has also come at a permanent price as he now must not only change his running style but must restrict his training schedule to release as much pressure as possible on his back.
He is in good hands though as specialists from the Australian Institute of Sport are working on a method to alter his running style that ultimately led to the movement of his L5 disc.
"His schedule will be monitored daily. I think he'd rather modify his training than not play football at all,'' Gardner said.
Minichello is expected to take the field in the first round clash against rivals South Sydney with a possible chance of him being included in one of two upcoming trials.
Will Minichello be able to get back to his hard hitting, tackle breaking form that got him countless representative honours and the 2005 Golden Boot, or will the niggling injury cause Minichello to never be the same again?
