Though he wasn’t conscious of it at the time, Casboult said observers later noted how he appeared to lack confidence in the first half of the contest, “but then saw how confident I was in the second half with the knee”.
“I suppose I was a bit self-conscious early, but the most important thing was just getting out there. I got through okay, the knee felt really good and to tell you the truth everywhere else was sore’,” he said.
Casboult re-damaged the posterior cruciate ligament and tore the lateral ligament after hyperextending his knee in the match against Coburg back in March.
The worst of it was the first six weeks when Casboult’s knee was immobilized in a brace, “and I couldn’t even ride a bike”. But he did everything right. He adhered to a strict diet throughout his convalescence and at 103 kilograms now believes he’s reached his ideal playing weight after lacking in strength at 100 kilos through 2011.
Though he unsuccessfully pushed for selection the previous week to get a couple of games under his belt before this week’s Northern Blues bye, the boy from Beaconsfield understands that another week off wasn’t going to hurt him and that he’ll give it his best shot in the VFL reserves come the weekend.
And the big fellow still has plenty to play for.
“This is my third year on the list now and through circumstances haven’t played a senior game yet, so my goal is to play a senior game this year with eight games to go,” Casboult said.
“I’m confident I can get to where I was before I was injured and that will give me a chance to play. Obviously that depends on where we’re sitting on the ladder and what’s happening with ‘Waitey’ (Jarrad Waite) and ‘Hendo’ (Lachie Henderson), but I want to give myself every opportunity.
Through his convalescence, Casboult heard from those in the know that he almost certainly would have got the call-up in the absence of Lachie Henderson, Luke Mitchell, Sam Rowe and Jarrad Waite.
“That’s frustrating,” he conceded, “but it’s nice to know you’re at the stage where you’re in their heads - which is something nice to take from it”.
“I haven’t made it yet, but I feel like I can get there now,” he said.
