Adelaide's Milera Aims for AFL Comeback After Year-Long Absence
Wayne Milera, Adelaide's troubled-half back who has been sidelined for nearly a year due to injuries, is poised to return to the AFL.
Milera is anticipated to play when the Crows take on St Kilda this Sunday, marking his first AFL match since March 29 of the previous year at the age of 27.
Milera ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee in the round-three clash against Fremantle last year.
He suffered the same injury in 2021 and missed the entire season, and in 2020 played only two games when fracturing a foot which ruled him for the rest of that year.
The Crow's mentor, Matthew Nicks, indicates that Milera, often called Junior, is all set for his return as long as he remains injury-free throughout the upcoming training sessions before the game at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
"We're really keen to have Junior play; we want to get him onto a field where he’s spent a lot of time playing his football," Nicks stated to journalists on Thursday.
Without a shadow of a doubt, he meets the required standard. He's an exceptionally gifted athlete who takes the field when he's in good shape and ready to play.
Milera’s comeback adds more competition for positions ahead of Adelaide’s opening match, as new arrivals Alex Neal-Bullen (formerly from Melbourne) along with ex-GWS players Isaac Cumming and James Peatling are locks to be selected.
"There’s currently a strong contest for positions, players understand that some will unfortunately miss out and feel quite aggrieved about it," Nicks stated.
The coach of the Crows didn’t rule out but also hasn’t confirmed whether top-ranked fourth-round draft choice Sid Draper will play his first AFL match against the Saints.
"Nicks emphasized that round one isn’t everything," he stated.
The faster you can introduce games to players, the better; the more experiences they have...there are things we know he'll learn just by being out there and immersed in it.
Young fellow stepping into this, experiencing his debut performance on a grand platform, perhaps starting with a supporting part would suit. Alternatively, should we allow him full freedom right from the start... these choices still remain flexible as we have not finalized them yet.
