All Clear For Raiders Purtell
Canberra Raiders rising star Adrian Purtell has been given the all clear by to return to full contact training with the Green Machine, after receiving the all clear from his specialist today.
The 2006 Raiders rookie of the year has been sidelined since round 11 last season, after he was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis in his leg. The condition forced Purtell to take medication to thin his blood to reduce the size of the blood clot in his leg, keeping him away from any physical contact.
But after a long and indecisive six months Purtell is now ready to make his return to the full time training squad, after receiving the all clear from his specialist to resume contact training.
Purtell said it's a decision he wasn't expecting, but is one that he will be making sure he doesn't take for granted.
"I went in there thinking I would have to stay on the medication for another three months, but he's told me I'm allowed to stop taking the medicine and I'll be back into training next week," Purtell said. "My own opinion when I received the ultrasound and saw the clot was still in there, the alarm bells started ringing, but once I saw the specialist he said the high risk was over now and I'm allowed to return to training."
Purtell said his condition has not fully cleared up, but it's understood the risk of further damage is low, and he is confident he will be ready to continue his career.
"I will take a week off training just to make sure that my blood is back to the right thickness, but after that I'll commence full contact training," he said. "The specialist said sometimes this type of clot can hang around, but once it's below the knee the high risk element goes."
With trial matches set down for late February and early March Purtell is keen to get him self into the frame for selection in round one, and will make sure he catches up with the rest of the squad over the remainder of the pre-season
"My goal has always been to be ready for round one, and hopefully I can be ready for the trial," he said. "I've been doing weights and running up until now, so it will be good to get some contact work in."
Purtell said not knowing his future had forced a range of emotions over the past six months, but thanked everyone for their support over this time.
"Its been a long six months because its been a slow process and I wasn't sure what was happening, and a thousand things went through my mind thinking that my career may be over and what I would do outside footy, so it's a big relief off my shoulders," he said. "The clubs been very helpful through all this, last season they put about 10 of us through a course to become personal trainers, and this year we're doing a business course, and I maybe doing a real estate course as well. Even if I couldn't have continued playing footy at least I would have had a few options."
Raiders Coach Neil Henry said Purtell's return to full time training would bolster the prospects in their backline for season 2008, and would welcome his return to the fulltime squad in the pre-season.
"Its fantastic news for the club to have him back on board," Henry said. "We feared the worst and thought he may be out for another three months, which would put him out for the start of the season, but to hear this today is great news."
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