WHEN Troy Menzel - at just 16 - decided to have his right knee reconstructed with synthetic fibres rather than a traditional graft, he relied heavily on his mother's extensive research into the controversial LARS technique.
Menzel's reconstructed knee was one of the biggest issues facing clubs with early picks in last month's NAB AFL Draft.
On talent alone, Menzel was widely regarded to be a top-three pick. However, clubs had to ponder whether his artificial anterior cruciate ligament would stand up to the stresses of AFL football.
They did so knowing Sydney Swan Nick Malceski and recent Melbourne recruit David Rodan had ruptured LARS ligaments within a relatively short time of their initial surgeries.
They also knew Menzel had surgery on his left knee after partially tearing his posterior cruciate ligament playing for Central Districts' SANFL team late in 2012.
Just how concerned clubs were by Menzel's knee problems remains unclear.
But Greater Western Sydney (three times), Melbourne, Western Bulldogs (twice), Port Adelaide, Brisbane Lions and Richmond all overlooked him with live picks at the draft, allowing Carlton recruiting manager Shane Rogers to call out his name at pick No. 11.
Shortly afterwards, Rogers told carltonfc.com.au he considered Menzel the second best player in the 2012 draft pool.
And Menzel, now 18, told a press conference at Visy Park on Monday his knees would not prevent him from living up to that potential.
"When I did [my right ACL] we went back to South Australia [and] spoke it over with the surgeon and physio," Menzel said.
"And me and mum spoke about it a bit and she did a lot of research on it to see if we wanted to give it a go.
"I was a suitable candidate and came to the conclusion that I would go for it.
"I knew I wasn't going to play at the end of that year, but it gave me seven or eight months [to get ready for the next season].
"If I'd had a normal knee 'reco' I wouldn't have been playing round one the next year. And [I] pulled up for round one and haven't had any problems with it [since]."
Menzel's left PCL is now almost fully recovered too. After joining the Blues for pre-season training for the first time last Thursday, Menzel said he was already doing most of the running and expected to resume full training in January.
Menzel is not letting himself get carried away now that he's joined elder brother, Geelong's Daniel, as an AFL player.
Asked about his goals for the 2013 season, he said his immediate focus was getting through the pre-season and then getting a game in the NAB Cup.
"Definitely the goal from there would be to play some senior footy at some stage next year," he said.
Menzel said his move to Melbourne from Adelaide had been made easier knowing Daniel had successfully made the move to Geelong three years' earlier and is now only a relatively short drive away down the Princes Highway.
"It's not too much trouble to go and see him and having him here for support is definitely very handy," Menzel said.
Nick Bowen is a reporter with AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nick
