Dual South Launceston premiership favourite Adam Viney will miss the chance to win a third grand final in what was to be the 32-year-old’s perfect swansong.
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The onballer, who already had plans to retire at season’s end, dramatically broke his collarbone in two places after being felled in a late tackle.
Viney was left convulsing on the ground, barely conscious and only waking up dazed inside the rooms to the arrival of concerned club president and wife Felicity.
The builder by trade will see an orthopedic surgeon next week to ascertain the damage to his shoulder, but will certainly be sidelined for the NTFA showpiece game set down for 11 days’ time.
“I’m shattered to miss out on a grand final,” Viney said.
“Now my last game of footy was Saturday.
“I was always hoping to go out with a grand final win.”
But the heartache of the biggest football game of his year pales into insignificance since the family’s latest addition of daughter Cait.
The smitten new dad to his nine-day-old baby girl has felt left out showing affection, handicapped by his left arm entrenched in a sling.
“It’s very disheartening not being able to pick her up and all that,” Viney said.
“But I did get out of nappy duties, so that’s a bit alright.”
For just a moment, Viney must’ve believed in a fairytale finish to both his playing days and start to fatherhood.
Before even the two-time premiership player’s last kick was a goal and after South Launceston sealed top spot to earn the first week off in the finals, his wife happened to even give birth to their first child in between games from a rare footy-free Saturday.
“Yeah, it was all working out pretty well,” Viney smiles.
“That (injury) was just unlucky – you play football and it’s going to happen some days. But you’ve got to look at the bright side of things.”
But as far as injuries go, Viney has run out of luck.
Talk about bad breaks.
To his cheekbone, to his sternum, another to his leg, now to his shoulder – not to mention tearing an AC joint.
It made the decision to call it a day to rest his weary body an easy one amid thoughts of a child nine months back.
But the irony behind his impending retirement to avoid further injury was also not lost on the man himself.
“My body has certainly been knocked around a fair bit over the years,” he said.
Ironically the courage of Viney, who transferred from North Launceston in 2014 to play at Youngtown, was the motivation for coach Leigh Harding to spur on his team during Saturday’s half-time address against Bracknell.
Their battered teammate philosophically promises now to be the loudest one cheering on the Bulldogs from behind the fence when they next turn out on grand final day at Windsor Park.
“I’ve been lucky enough to win a couple already there (at South),” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of close mates playing and my brother plays there, so it will still be good to watch. But hopefully we can get that win.”
NTFA FINALS on SATURDAY
Division 1: Preliminary Finals@Rocherlea
- Seniors: Bracknell v Rocherlea, 2pm
- Reserves: Bracknell v Longford, 11:45am
- Under-18s: Bridgenorth v Scottsdale, 9:45am
Division 2: Grand Finals@Windsor Park
- Seniors: Lilydale v East Coast, 2:15pm
- Reserves: Old Scotch v St Patricks, 11:30am