JACK Silvagni would prefer to split 2024 into two parts.
Let’s start with the football side of things. In what comes as no surprise, his preference would be to “wipe it, park it, pretend it didn’t happen”.
But choosing to look at the silver lining, it has allowed him the unique opportunity with wife Grace to embrace and enjoy as significant moment as you’ll ever get.
“Personally, the year has been so exciting, with the birth of Charlie,” Silvagni told Carlton Media.
“If ever I was going to have an injury like that, I’m really glad it happened this year. I was able to be so attentive and involved in everything with the situation at home. I’m really grateful that the Club allowed me to do that and being so great with it throughout my recovery.”
That recovery has been a long one, as all ACL injuries are. For Silvagni, who hadn’t been through one before, he admits it was a process where he didn’t know what he was in for until he was actually living it.
As he aims to ramp things up in his rehabilitation when the new year rolls around, the prospect of being back out there with his teammates - rather than watching them from the stands - is a motivating one.
Pre-season camp was the perfect way to end things for the Blues from a football and connection standpoint, allowing the playing group - and Silvagni in particular - the chance to reflect, reset and then recharge for what everyone is happening is a better 2025.
“The knee is going really well. The year was quite difficult with a few setbacks and operations and whatnot. Recovery has been a touch slower than what I was expecting from the start: ACLs are never linear, and I probably went in naively thinking it was all going to roll smoothly. It didn’t.
“It’s been nice now to have a clean block of 12-16 weeks to attack my training, get a good fitness level back, get really strong in the gym and get back on the park. I joined a drill or two [on Wednesday] and that’ll progress more over the next month or so.
“I’m not a great watcher of football at the best of times, so I’ll be looking forward to putting the boots back on and getting out there.”
When he is back out there, there’s a fair chance he’ll be in a role which he has played to some extent before, just not to the level he’s preparing to.
Michael Voss flagged ahead of the Blues’ camp that there’d be a swap of ends for Silvagni and Brodie Kemp this season, with Carlton’s No.1 looking to cement a spot down back when he returns to full training.
For someone who has embraced versatility ahead of his 10th season at IKON Park, the stability and clarity is something which has rejuvenated him.
“There’s a real clarity of role with me and ‘Kempy’ swapping ends. To be able to have a pre-season to attack that, to pound the rock and be able to find my niche, working closely with Jacob Weitering, Nick Haynes, Mitch McGovern and all those boys.
“It’s nice heading into a season with that clarity and to be aligned with the whole team on where I’m going to play. I’ve played a lot of spare man and a bit [down back] under ‘Bolts’ at the end of years, but never as a tall.
“It’s a new challenge, but it’s one I’m really looking forward to attacking.”
