By JARROD POTTER
THE growing list of Dandenong Rangers injuries over the pre-season had an unintended outcome – it fired up Kathleen Macleod.
Macleod, who starred in Dandenong’s 73-51 round one win over Melbourne Boomers, played her first WNBL match in 19 months and showed no signs of rust as she sped up and down the court and excelled in tandem with Rangers’ import Cappie Pondexter.
Returning from a persistent knee injury that hampered her 2012/13 WNBL finals campaign, and the birth of her first child Jaxon, Macleod’s road back to the Rangers has been strenuous but she’s glad to have persevered.
“It’s been a very long process,” Macleod said. “My first training, oh my gosh, I finished and I think I went home and was second guessing even coming back.
“I texted Jenna (former Dandenong player Jenna O’Hea), she was in America, thinking ‘oh my gosh what am I doing’, so it’s been a really slow progression and I’m really lucky that in the last few weeks I think at every training I’ve gotten better.”
After Liz Cambage and Monica Wright were struck from the Rangers’ ambitions for season 2014/15, Macleod realised she had to be fit and firing round one for the sake of the team and she had no wiggle room to ease back into form.
“Probably just that I had to be ready for this first game with our injuries,” Macleod said. “I couldn’t doubt myself any longer and I needed to get going or otherwise we’d struggle.
“Mark as well – we lost the players and Mark gave a big speech before one training about ‘this is it, this is the group we’ve got’ and I think that was my best training and from there I’ve just improved.”
Her time out of the game – starting in March 2013 with the Rangers’ preliminary final loss to Townsville – has helped fuel her desire to get back to peak performance before the start of this season.
“I think it was good – I needed a break,” she said.
“I think it’s also been good for me to realise how lucky I am to play basketball.
“It made me want to be even better and I’ve worked pretty hard to come back.”
Macleod hit her straps in the 22-point victory as she played 36 minutes for 13 points, three rebounds and four assists and was pleased with her first outing of the new year.
“It was really good – happy with the win for sure – the team played so well and I’m not injured so I’m very happy,” Macleod said.
“It’s a totally different group – think we’ve only got two – with Tenga leaving and coming back – only two or three people the same as the last time I played.
“The girls are great and it’s a really good group and I’m really having fun and enjoying being part of the Rangers again.”
Dandenong faces Adelaide at Adelaide Arena on Thursday night before a home-clash on Saturday night against Sydney Uni.
