By ROY WARD
AT his best, Dandenong Thunder midfielder Matt Theodore is one of the most dangerous attackers in the Victorian Premier League.
The 23 year old former Melbourne Victory player has been a key cog in the Thunder’s attack for three seasons but since going down in a heavy tackle during last season’s semi-final against Oakleigh Cannons, has barely been on the pitch.
After struggling with groin and hip pain during the season, the tackle ‘‘finished the job’’ leaving him with two tendons torn off the bone near his groin and more complications in his hip area. The injury forced Theodore to sit out the Thunder’s preliminary final and grand final wins.
‘‘There was some pain when I was playing but that tackle completed it,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s been a very slow recovery, I had to have an operation and the rehabilitation was very basic.’’
Theodore has only just returned to training and while he is working hard, expects to need a month or more to run himself back into a state good enough to return to matches.
‘‘It had been about six months since I had trained so it was good to get out there with the boys and get a feel for the ball,’’ he said.
‘‘But I was wrecked after about five minutes. My whole body was just felt dead but I managed to finish the session.’’
Whether it’s just some stirring from his teammates or not, Theodore even managed to soften the approach of newly signed hardman Steven Topalovic, a player known for his physical play in games or training sessions.
‘‘The boys were very good with me and no one put in any tackles,’’ he said. ‘‘But Toppa, he is a bit of a monster. He came in with one tackle but I kicked the ball away and he didn’t compete it. If he had, I would have been on the ground for sure.’’
Theodore admits the hardest part of missing the grand final was not on game day but in the celebrations in the days after.
‘‘It was pretty hard watching the final,’’ he said. ‘‘It was great seeing the boys win and I enjoyed it as if I had played but a few days after it was hard knowing I had missed out on something so special.’’
With those sentiments in mind, Theodore can’t wait to reach full fitness and return to matches although he hasn’t set a date for his return, with his advisers telling him he still needed at least another month of training before being fit to play.
Theodore said the Thunder squad looked sharp and ready for the new season, in which they will start on minus three championship points and without crowds for their first five matches due to crowd misbehaviour during the grand final.
‘‘We just want to get out there and play,’’ Theodore said.
With Topalovic joining the squad along with Zac Walker (Melbourne Heart), Matthew Park (East Fife, Scotland) and Luke Hopper (England), the Thunder look to be in contention for the title again although star forward Luke Sherbon, keeper Stuart Webster and midfielder Ross Thompson have all left the club.
‘‘With the right attitude and a bit of luck we should be right to try and win it again,’’ Theodore said.
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