Former Collingullie-Glenfield Park footballer Jayden Klemke's foray into the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) is over for the year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Klemke ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his opening game for West Adelaide and will undergo a knee reconstruction on Wednesday morning.
The two-time Jim Quinn Medallist made the move to Adelaide late last year in a bid to test himself in the SANFL.
A shattered Klemke will return home to the family farm for a couple of weeks to recoup after surgery.
"I'm disappointed and really shattered as you would expect," Klemke said.
"To move 900 kilometres, do all the hard work over five months of pre-season, four nights a week then for this to happen after half a game of footy, it's shattering.
"But shit happens. That's all I can say. I've just got to move on."
Klemke not only ruptured his ACL but also did damage to his medial ligament and cartilage.
The injury came about in a tackle.
"I got run down and tried to kick it but we both fell and had my weight and his weight on my leg," he said.
"It just went snap."
Klemke had started round in in reserve grade for West Adelaide and was among the leading possession-getters on the ground at the time of his injury.
"I wasn't going to walk straight into the ones," he said.
"I was just getting used to the different style of footy after three practice matches and it was the fittest I've been."
Klemke plans to come home and watch Collingullie-GP's opening couple of games while recovering from the knee reconstruction.
"I'll come home for a few weeks and watch the boys in round one," he said.
"I'll probably come back over here for rehab because there are doctors and physios at the club."
Klemke hopes to right to play at the start of next season.
READ MORE