Iezzi positive, despite missing rest of the season

Old Trinity confirmed their worst fears about their skipper Brendan Iezzi earlier this week, an MRI on Monday determining that the two time Woodrow Medallist will miss the rest of the season having ruptured his ACL, MCL and Meniscus in the round 8 clash against Old Xaverians.

It’s a cruel bow to both Old Trinity and indeed Iezzi himself, who for so long has played in a team craving success. With the T’s on top of William Buck Premier after eight rounds, Iezzi however, was still able to look at the bigger picture when he spoke to vafa.com.au.

“The positives are everywhere, five years ago we are battling relegation and and injury like this could potentially have had an impact on our season, now we are obviously in a much better situation and our new leaders will get a chance to step up,” Iezzi said.

“Nothing is certain of course, but it looks like we are a good chance to play finals this year and if we make it then anything can happen on the day so the club is in a great place.”

Iezzi will not undergo surgery for at least another four to six weeks in order to enable the best possible recovery. He was emotional when we spoke with him, but was also able to put his injury in perspective.

“The messages of support have been sensational, it’s still very raw and it will no doubt get easier as time passes.”

“It’s funny, the first person I spoke to after I got the news was Ken Petrucco (96.5 Inner FM) who had called to wish me well. I had just got off the phone from my doctor with the news and Ken called and he was great and he raised the horrible situation of the poor guy that died on the football field in the EDFL last weekend and that gave a huge amount of perspective.”

In terms of Iezzi’s role on match days, and around the club for the rest of the year he is still uncertain, but he will take a few weeks off from football initially.

“I am not very good at watching and I don’t have any interest in coaching,” he said.

“If anything I might come back and do some small one on one stuff with some of the guys, but I will talk with Rosco (Adam Andrews) and see what might work.”

Iezzi is a plumber by trade and will miss at least a couple of months of work too while his knee recovers before having surgery. Given the amount of damage done he is taking a precautionary approach.

“If I were to go back to work before surgery – which I have been told is possible – and the knee was to collapse again it would put surgery back too, which just delays everything further,” Iezzi said.

Old Trinity has confirmed they will appoint either a captain or co-captains for the remainder of the season from within their current leadership group.

Old Trinity have made their best ever start to a William Buck Premier season as they head into the Queen’s Birthday bye with seven wins and just the one loss.