Cancer survivor Ben Cunnington has opened up on the “overwhelming” feeling he had when first diagnosed with testicular cancer as he prepares to play his first AFL game in 13 months this weekend.
Cunnington survived two bouts of cancer that kept him out of the AFL since he last played in round 19, 2021 and revealed things got “pretty real” for the 30-year-old and his family when a check-up last November revealed the recurrence .
Ahead of his return against the Adelaide Crows on Saturday, Cunnington, a two-time North best and fairest, spoke about his battle and the support from his family and the club that helped him fight his way back.
“The first diagnosis was very overwhelming,” he said.
“You never think you are going to be that person. You see and hear and read about it, but when it’s you, it’s very overwhelming.
“We had the operation and we thought that everything went well so you moved on.
“But when it came back in one of my check-ups and then the chemo got involved, that’s when it got pretty real. It was a bit of a battle, yeah.”
A reluctant giver of interviews, Cunnington’s comments were published on the North Melbourne website, where he outlined his battle to get back to senior football, which included a calf issue and then a bout of Covid on the eve of his return and a fear he may not get back.
“I had a couple of little setbacks during the rehab, but when I did that calf pretty good, we thought we might be in a little bit of trouble,” he said.
“But the club were great, they sent me back to the farm for a couple of days to regroup, then I got back on the horse, recovered well.
“It was all looking pretty good, then I came back again and got struck down with Covid, which has been a long time coming. It was always going to happen the week leading up to my first game.
“But finally we’ve got to where we are now.
“It feels amazing. I can’t stop smiling, especially where I have come from.
“You do a little bit of reflecting, but to finally get here, it’s been a bit of hard work and some ups and downs, but to finally get here, I can’t stop smiling.”
Cunnington, who played his first game in the VFL last weekend before getting the nod to return to the AFL team on Wednesday, said his happiness was reflected in that of his family and friends when he told them he’d get back to doing what he You see it.
“It hasn’t just been me on the journey, I’ve had a lot, especially family, close friends and even people within the footy club coming on this journey with me,” he said.
“To tell them, and see their happiness, relief, excitement, it was a nice feeling all around.”
Rabbitohs halfback Lachlan Ilias has revealed Broncos captain Adam Reynolds has been a rock of support this season.
The former teammates remain tight and Reynolds was quick to contact Ilias after he was dramatically hooked inside 30 minutes against the Dragons in Round 15.
Ilias’ future was scrutinized with plenty of attention focusing on why coach Jason Demetriou decided to bench Ilias.
But Reynolds came to the 22-year-old’s support and helped him get his season back on track.
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“Reyno has been really supportive this whole season,” Ilias told The Daily Telegraph.
“Through the ups and downs, Reyno is Reyno… he is a really good bloke.
“He’s experienced it all. He made sure I was OK and said to stay positive.
“I was really close to him last year and we still message each other all the time.
“If something happens good or bad he is there with messages of support.
Rabbitohs young halfback Lachlan Ilias was hooked in the first half of their clash with the Dragons. Credit: NRL Images. Source: The Daily TelegraphSource: The Daily Telegraph
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“Obviously in previous seasons I spent a lot of time learning from him and this season he has been really good to me. He is massive in my development.”
While the 22-year-old was anxious about his immediate future in the seven jersey, he has since realized it was the wake up call that he needed.
“There was a bit of the unknown, wondering what it means… and thinking about what the chat with the coach might be like to see where he is at and where I’m at in the team,” Ilias said.
“We’ve both bounced back from that now. There has been a lot of articles of people talking about it.
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“But I didn’t want to feel like the victim in that situation. It was hard at the time and I had to sit down with JD a couple of days after the game. It was a positive chat.
“Ever since then I have been positive and changed my mindset.
“I’m hungrier now than I was before. It was probably the kick up the backside I needed. I’m loving my footy at the moment.”
Ilias has been named to start for the Rabbitohs for their Friday night clash against the Eels at CommBank Stadium.
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“If you wind the clock back 12 months ago,” Ange Postecoglou said today, “it was pretty chaotic.”
That is something of an understatement. The Australian mastermind had been plucked from Japan to take over Scottish giants Celtic. It was a shock move, and one widely slammed by pundits, rivals, and even some fans of the Glasgow club. He arrived with limited experience in European football and therefore a deeply undervalued global reputation. He took over a club in shambles, particularly a hodgepodge squad in need of overhaul. No wonder his first month of it was ‘pretty chaotic.’
Having been handed the reins just days before pre-season games kicked off, Postecoglou endured a frenetic few weeks in the transfer market, with well over a dozen player movements. After an equally tricky start to the season, Postecoglou proved the doubters wrong to guide Celtic to a league and league cup double. Out of the chaos, Postecoglou created magic.
The new season begins on Monday morning (1.30am AEST) – and things are very different at Celtic.
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Postecoglou and Mooy with the Socceroos in 2017.Source: Getty Images
12 months on, Postecoglou’s transfer dealings this time around were totally different. Instead of a last-minute transfer flurry that stretched to a manic deadline day, Postecoglou quickly and smartly did his transfer business early in the window.
The Hoops have picked up keeper Benjamin Siegrist, left-back Alexandro Bernabei, centre-back Moritz Jenz and Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy.
Arguably even more importantly has been converting last season’s loan stars Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers into permanent signings, despite plenty of competition from elsewhere.
“We’re happy with the ones we’ve brought in,” Postecoglou said. “There were some areas I felt we needed strengthening from a squad perspective: Goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back and midfield were definitely areas that I wanted to make us a bit stronger and more robust and it’s great we’ve done that.
“Re-signing Jota and Cameron on permanent deals was also an important part of what we are trying to build. I’m pleased with where we’re at, but there’s still four weeks of the window open and we’ll still be active and agile to see where we can strengthen.”
That’s not the only big change Postecoglou has wrought. Socceroos legend Harry Kewell has also joined the Postecoglou project as first-team coach, having been out of work since his axing him as Barnet manager last September.
It marks another massive shift in the landscape from 12 months ago, when Postecoglou was barred from bringing in his own staff, and instead inherited assistants from the previous manager.
Pre-season has been very different, too. Rather than last-minute chaos, Postecoglou says it has been “meticulously planned” – and the results have followed. Celtic has gone unbeaten, including a hugely impressive win over recently-relegated Premier League side Norwich.
It’s a far cry from last year’s topsy-turvy opening weeks, which included a brutal baptism of fire in Champions League qualifiers. The Hoops have automatically qualified for Europe’s top competition this time around, and Postecoglou will be desperate to make amends for the team’s failure in continental competitions last season.
With a settled squad and reorganized backroom, a board and fans firmly on his side, no wonder Postecoglou says “we’re in a different space.”
“To be honest, [going in as champions] isn’t really something that’s in consciousness,” he said. “It’s more that we’re in a different space in terms of where we’re at as a club and a squad.
“If you wind the clock back 12 months ago, it was pretty chaotic. We were going into the first games with players in quarantine, and others flying in, others we hadn’t even signed yet, so pre-season was pretty frantic, with Champions League qualifiers also.
“This is a different feel going into this year. The fact that we’re champions I don’t think is the biggest difference. The biggest difference is just that we’re more settled … Going into the first game is a totally different outlook.”
Now, he added, it’s time to get down to “the real stuff”: the job of defending the league title against bitter Old Firm rivals Rangers.
Celtic’s title defense begins in front of a sellout crowd at home against Aberdeen on Sunday (Monday 1:30am AEST).
“We just want to make sure we lay down a really strong marker for the year ahead,” Postecoglou said.
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Postecoglou celebrating the title win last season.Source: Getty Images
Before that game, however, captain Callum McGregor will unfurl the championship flag – a moment that probably seemed an impossible dream a year ago. Celtic had been battered the season before by Rangers, with a humiliating 25-point gap between first and second on the ladder. The squad was shattered, both in terms of confidence and the make-up of the roster.
Postecoglou completely renovated the team and revived the mood at Celtic Park, winning over his many doubters along the way.
Things are very different now, but some things remain the same. He still has his biting wit and blunt approach to the media – like when he was asked the rather dismissive question about whether a year ‘immersed in Scottish football’ has helped him understand the ‘landscape’ of the competition.
Postecoglou didn’t hold back, declaring: “Yeah, considering everyone didn’t think I knew anything at the start of last year, I think I’m in a better place, mate. I’m as well prepared as I always am.”
Another thing hasn’t changed: Postecoglou’s fervid drive for success.
That means last season’s success is forgotten. “We have already put it in the history books, from the first day of pre-season,” he stated.
The goal is clear: become even better than before.
“I’ve stated pretty clearly, we’ve got to be better this year than we were last year if we want to repeat the success. We can’t just roll out there and play at the levels we did last year. It was enough to get us over the line and bring us the success we wanted. But we want to better this year.”
Postecoglou celebrating a 7-0 thrashing last season.Source: Getty Images
As he similarly said earlier in the month: “It’s the same all the time. Every new season. I keep saying that to the players. There’s the possibility to be part of something special.”
“I didn’t start last year thinking: This is going to be a tough grind. I started last year thinking: Let’s see what we can do and can we create something special?”
Last year was something special. With a better pre-season, a settled squad, and his drive from him still as strong as ever, this year might just be even greater.
“We’ll enjoy the ride. We had our ups and downs last year but we stuck together and as I always say, it’s how you feel after you get off the rollercoaster that’s important.
“I think most people enjoyed the ride last year. I’m sure we’ll have our ups and downs again this year, but hopefully at the end everyone gets off and says ‘that was a hell of a ride, let’s go again’.”
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