Brisbane Lions ruckman Sam Draper has admitted to having doubts he would ever return to his best during his lengthy recovery from his ruptured Achilles tendon.
The former Essendon star suffered the injury playing for the Bombers against the West Coast Eagles in April last year.
It came at a time when Draper was considered to be in career-best form.
Despite the injury, back-to-back premiers Brisbane were intent on bringing Draper to Queensland, and three games into his career with his new club, the 27-year-old big man said he was “feeling my best again”.
“It’s a really great feeling, because there are times there when you’re in rehab and have some thoughts of ‘I don’t know if I’ll ever be back to where I was before’,” Draper said ahead of Brisbane’s Gather Round clash against North Melbourne at Barossa Park on Saturday.
“It’s nice to be able to see the hard work is paying off. The club was great in not rushing me and just really starting me from zero and building up again.
“I’m just looking forward to keep playing, feeling good and having fun playing footy because I just love playing footy. I’m really happy to be back out here.”
Draper was also delighted to back in his home state of South Australia this weekend, and hoped Gather Round – should it remain the Festival State beyond this year – would eventually include a game at Magain Stadium, the home ground of his former SANFL club, South Adelaide.
“I’m a big advocate for that. South Adelaide is a perfect venue for a Gather Round game,” he said.
“They’ve got the wineries down there, they’ve got the nice beaches, there’s a train line right next to the stadium, so hopefully they can get some funding and get a game down there because it’s a great part of the world, and it’s a great footy club.”
The Lions – who will be boosted by the returns of co-captains Harris Andrews and Hugh McCluggage – are chasing a third straight win on Saturday, while the improving Kangaroos are aiming to taste victory for the fourth time this season.
“They’ve started really well,” Draper said of the Alastair Clarkson-coached North Melbourne.
“(They are a) good contest (team), as we know, and they will definitely be coming out pretty hard – I know that for sure.
“My mate Charlie Comben plays down back (for the Kangaroos), so hopefully I can keep a goal on him, but we’ll see. It should be good fun.”
