RIVERINA Lions coach Dan Lloyd fractured his neck in several places in a farming accident almost a year ago.
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The setback didn’t stop him from coaching, a role that he believes has helped his recovery process.
“It’s just giving me something to do Monday and Wednesday, I’ve been pushing myself to try to keep up with the girls at training,” he said.
Recovery has been physically gruelling and emotionally draining and his involvement with the Lions has given him a reprieve.
The girls help to keep him in a positive mind-frame.
“It’s been a good thing, they really are a great group of girls,” Lloyd said.
“It’s been a privilege to coach them.”
He’s having a kick a bit more now and getting better with his mobility.
- Ellie Dalgarno-Fixter
Team members have watched his recovery and have been encouraged by the headway he’s making.
“He’s having a kick a bit more now and getting better with his mobility it’s really good,” Lions player Ellie Dalgarno-Fixter said.
Winning the grand final would be a huge boost for Lloyd, and he believes the girls have what it takes.
“It would be right up there with my best achievement of winning a grand final myself,” he said.
He expects a tight result this weekend considering they face Eastlake, a team they are yet to defeat in 2015.
“They’re going to be very stiff competition,” he said.
Eastlake are Riverina’s greatest rivals, with tough, physical games resulting in brawls and tribunal hearings in previous seasons.
Riverina Lions players were vindicated in tribunal hearings that took place due to complaints from the Eastlake camp, but players, still on the squad today, certainly haven’t forgotten the ordeal.
Eastlake have also forfeited to the Lions twice this season, compounding frustrations for the local side who have been left in the lurch by teams reluctant to travel from Canberra to Wagga.
After a successful semi final against Tuggeranong, Lions morale’s high.
“The girls now have the confidence they can beat the strongest teams in the competition,” Lloyd said.
Grand final
Eastlake Demons v Riverina Lions
2.15pm Sunday at Gunghalin Enclosed Oval
Locals who can’t make the trip to Canberra don’t have to miss out. AFL Canberra will broadcast the game via live stream on its YouTube channel.