Young Sydney Swans defender Jack Maibaum has made a full recovery from a season-ending knee injury and says running out on game day will be “an amazing feeling”.
The 2016 draftee had been motoring through the 2019 pre-season, but when he ruptured his ACL at Marrickville’s Henson Park in February, his campaign was over before it had begun.
Maibaum has been a member of Sydney’s main training group since the squad returned from the Christmas break – and he says he’s eagerly awaiting the moment he makes a match-day comeback.
“It’ll be an amazing feeling. We all love playing footy here and it’s what I grew up loving,” Maibaum told SwansTV.
“Not being able to play for a year straight has hurt, so I’m really looking forward to playing again. It’ll be a great feeling.
“Rehab is going well. I’ve been doing full training since the start of January and am looking to play some practice games soon. My body’s holding up quite well through the pre-season. In the early days you could feel the knee a bit, but as I’ve progressed the rehab things have felt better and better.”
Maibaum had been gunning for a breakthrough 2019 campaign, and with champion defenders Jarrad McVeigh, Heath Grundy and Nick Smith missing either most or all of the season, room had been cleared in the backline.
Maibaum is intent on making his senior debut in 2020, while off-season recruit Kaiden Brand, Irishman Colin O’Riordan and speedster Ryley Stoddart are determined to cement their spots in Sydney’s back six.
The Swans delisted Maibaum after season 2019 but redrafted him as a rookie in November.
The 21-year-old said his long stint in the injury ward tested him, but he says he’s now purely focused on blitzing the season ahead.
“It was pretty unfortunate timing but that’s footy; injuries happen and it’s a part of the game,” Maibaum said.
“I’m just really happy to still be here at the club and to be back doing full training.
“The plan is to get back to playing some solid footy. Hopefully with the more games I play the more my form comes along and the more confident I get. We’ll see where this year takes me.”
