Werribee Centrals’ hopes of ending a 22-year premiership drought have suffered a critical blow after scans confirmed a knee injury suffered by captain Michael Culliver is a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
The star midfielder was forced from the field following a marking contest early in the last quarter of the win over the Belmont Lions at Symal Oval.
Centrals coach Rhyce Prismall says Culliver, who sits second in the GDFNL for total disposals with 483 at an average of 32 per match, knew it was the worst-case scenario in the immediate aftermath.
“He just went up for a spoil and just landed,” Prismall said. “Just your classic ACL, with the tibia sliding forward.
“I think he did it maybe eight years ago, so it’s a sort of re-rupture of that one.
“With his physiology background, he knew straight away.”
Prismall says the injury to Culliver, who would have been a contender for the Whitley Medal if not for a suspension for an incident last month, rocked the playing group.
“We had a really, really good win against Belmont as a club that we needed to win with some boys back in the lineup,” he said.
“It was a bit of an eerie feeling in the rooms after the game.
“Although we were happy as a club for the win, seeing ‘Micka’ in the emotional pain that he was in, it was really hard to watch, I think, for everyone involved.”
Prismall says the ever-selfless Culliver’s initial thoughts are about how he can still contribute as an assistant coach during the Centurions’ finals campaign, which is likely to start with a qualifying final match-up against reigning premier North Geelong.
“The first thing he said is, ‘I don’t want this to derail us. I don’t want people worrying about me’, which is just him in a nutshell,” Prismall said.
“And I reassured him that we’ll use it as fuel.
“We’re playing in a final against North Geelong in a fortnight. The next two games we’ve got to get through and, yeah, we’ll use it as fuel come finals.
“Micka, he’ll be doing everything in his control between now and then and off the field to help the boys to be in the right frame of mind.”
Despite losing a player of Culliver’s undoubted ability, Prismall is confident Werribee Centrals have the depth in their midfield to cover his absence.
“It really, really hurts losing a leader and one of the competition’s best players,” Prismall said.
“As a team, we can definitely combat it, and it is the cliché of ‘one man down, one man up’
“It’ll add more fuel to the boys because everyone in our club loves ‘Micka’, and they’ll be doing everything they can if they’re not already.”
Werribee Centrals face Bell Post Hill at Myers Reserve on Saturday before hosting East Geelong in Round 18.
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