Tornadoes talent Ellie Collins has been given the medical clearance to finally return back to the court on Saturday after standing out for 10 weeks from the game.
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The 18-year-old has been sidelined over a debilitating hip injury facing Dandenong Rangers in a twist of irony for her first appearance back.
“I’m feeling a bit nervous, actually,” Collins said.
“I hurt myself against Dandenong the first time we played them, so that’s why I am nervous that we also play them this weekend.
“But I am excited as well.”
Collins suffered a tear to her labrum on the hip that took longer to heal than doctors had initially anticipated.
She only rejoined the squad two weeks ago, resuming full training this week.
“I was out much longer than anticipated – it’s been 10 weeks now,” Collins said.
“There was a lot of different results, I guess, from the surgeon, with bone bruising, which is pretty bad. So I just had to give it time to recover.”
Collins returns for the club’s last regular season game before the semi-finals. But she wants to regain form first for a possible home final.
“I don’t really have any expectations about court time or anything,” Collins said. “I’m just excited to be back.”
But the Torns rookie has found a way to remain occupied: practicing three-point throws the side has missed for their past eight matches.
When the 182cm forward headed to the changerooms against the Rangers, Collins led three-point percentages ahead of Opals Sara Blicavs, Alexandra Bunton, Maddie Garrick, Marianna Tolo and even Lauren Mansfield.
Collins had been shooting at 46.7 per cent in her nine outings compared to star guard Mansfield’s percentage of 31.3 from the arc.
“While I’ve been injured, the extra shooting sessions has been my main focus because it really has been the only thing I have been able to do,” Collins said.
“So, hopefully my three-point shot is still good.”
Not that coach Richard Dickel can say he missed the club’s flexible offensive weapon that is equally adept from long range than she is under the boards.
It just happened to be Dickel’s first game in charge when Collins sustained the long-term injury, but her potential is so strong that he’s happy to have the Hobart Chargers recruit back.
“We definitely miss her ability to be able to stretch the floor,” he said.
“Her player can’t help rub off on Tayla when Tayla’s getting double-teamed.
“And at 47 per cent where she’s played half the season, that’s still a good click at shooting the three.
“We still miss her abilities and we miss her stature out there on the court a lot of the times that offers something different at that four spot.”
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
