"Well, that's a nice 900km drive for nothing."
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You get the impression little fazes Jayden Klemke. But like that trek from Collingullie to Adelaide which didn't turn out as planned, it's been a long road back to the Demons.
The 26-year-old, a two-time Jim Quinn medallist and four-time best and fairest, ruptured his ACL in his first game for West Adelaide in 2019, and didn't play last year either after Collingullie-Glenfield Park withdrew.
But he is confident he can return to his best in the red and white after two games in Sydney with his brother Ben helped calm doubts over his knee.
"They (West Adelaide) kind of laughed when I did it actually. I said 'that's a good 900km drive for nothing," Klemke said.
"What's the saying - s**t happens. You just have to move on and can't do much about it.
"I ended up playing two games in Sydney (for Inner West Magpies) with my brother, which helped a bit.
"I didn't have much confidence in the first game, 16 months after a knee reco it's hard to have too much confidence in it, but the second game I was a lot better.
"I only did it because if I hadn't played at all two years after doing a knee, I would have struggled.
"Now I don't have to worry about getting confidence in it, and having a nervous start."
Klemke will be one of coach Brett Somerville's assistants this year and said it's vital country football is revitalised this year after coronavirus restricted this year's competition to six teams.
"I'm pretty keen. After last year I think it's really important for country towns to get footy going again this year," the 26-year-old said.
"It's going to have its challenges, people do find other things to do. But we've got to go ahead this year, both leagues, otherwise it's going to hurt a lot of towns who need that footy on a Saturday.
"That was part of the desire (returning to Collingullie), I love country footy and it's a community-based club. You don't get that in city leagues.
"Most of the boys who were going to play next year are back, which is good. The boys will catch up next week and go through it all."
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