Carlton captain Marc Murphy will fire off a best wishes text to Gary Ablett as the latter readies for reconstructive shoulder surgery and inevitable rehab, because “Murph” knows the feeling.

Rewind to the unlucky 13^th round of 2006 when Murphy, considered a shoe-in for the Rising star award, suffered severe damage to his left shoulder after being barrelled by Brisbane’s Robert Copeland with a sling tackle at the Gabba, not dissimilar to that affected by Brent Macaffer on Ablett at Metricon Stadium last Saturday.

Did Murphy spare a thought for Ablett as he left then field supporting his arm?

“I think everyone did didn’t they?,” came the reply. “We all thought he (Ablett) had the Brownlow sewn up and no-one ever likes to see the good players go down.

“It’s pretty hard for him to win the medal now with seven games to go. I’m not sure anyone’s won it missing more than four, and it’s a real shame that he mightn’t take his third because he deserves it for the standard he’s set over the past seven or eight years.”

Marc Murphy is helped off the ground after injuring his shoulder in Round 8, 2012. (Photo: Sean Garnsworthy/AFL Media)

Murphy, who took out Carlton’s and the AFLPA’s Best First Year Player regardless, well remembers the incident which led to him undergoing reconstructive surgery as performed by Greg Hoy, who will also complete the deed for Ablett. He recalls it happening in the same week the Herald Sun trumpeted his chances for the Norwich “which put the mozz on me a little”.

He said he had not experienced any problem with the shoulder since, with the notable exception of the incident involving Adelaide’s Patrick Dangerfield. Though the same shoulder was damaged, Murphy suffered breaks in the Dangerfield collision, as opposed to a torn laburnum in the Copeland affair “and I’m sure Gaz has done the same thing”.

“Fortunately, my shoulder slipped out then went back in, whereas Gazza’s didn’t unfortunately.”

Murphy lamented the fact that the torn shoulder seemed par for the course at League level, with the likes of Michael Jamison, Chris Judd and Andrew Walker “all knowing what “Gazza’s” probably going through at the moment”.

But the 179-game reminded that after undergoing the shoulder reconstruction and three-months of rehab he was back ready to go in the opening round of 2007.

“If Gaz was in his last year or two then maybe he’d have looked at going back out there and risking it,” Murphy said. “But the way he’s been playing and the way his body’s been he’s probably got another five years left in him. He doesn’t look like he’s slowing down and what is he, 30? It’s too much to risk I would have thought.”

Murphy, the 2011 John Nicholls Medallist, said that while it was far be it for him to offer any guidance to the man acknowledged as the competition’s best player, “my advice to him would be to take time, be careful, complete all the rehab and physio and don’t come back too soon”.

“And strap the shoulder up next year, you’ll be fine,” Murphy said.