OLLIE LORD was fitter and stronger than he had ever been, and was pressing his claims for an AFL debut but an innocuous collision at training saw him lose ten kilograms in a month.
Seven weeks on from the clash that saw him suffer a lacerated kidney, Lord has resumed full contact training.
He is eating. A lot. And spending plenty of time in the gym as he looks to push his weight back up towards 90 kilograms.
“Ten kilos is a lot,” he smiles, thinking back now. “I’m a slight frame and to lose 9.5 kilos in four weeks has meant a lot of ground to make up.
“I’ve just been eating a lot and hitting the gym. There’s no secrets behind it really.
“I’m nearly back at my original weight. It’ll take a couple more weeks but the big thing is getting my fitness back.”
Drafted as a promising if lean key forward from Geelong Grammar and Sandringham Dragons, the 197cm 21-year-old showed a strong set of hands, a good leap and an eye for goal during his first two seasons at SANFL level.
He even spent time in the ruck. Then with injuries mounting at AFL level, Lord was moved into the backline for the second part of the 2022 season where he learnt a lot.
In the off-season the East Brighton product went to work on his strength and fitness and was flying on the track.
Then the collision.
“It was significant pain,” he recalls. “I was down on the ground for a bit and I was really out of breath.
“I thought I’d done something to my ribs initially because it was so sore.
“I went into the showers and it wasn’t until later when I was urinating blood that I thought ‘far out, this is something worse’.
“The doctors just went into fast mode and sorted everything out thankfully. I was in hospital for three days as a precaution but I was in good hands.
“The first four weeks I didn’t do a lot because I couldn’t. The kidney just needed me to take a step back.”
The injury dented his confidence. A lot.
But Lord is grateful for the support of his teammates, coaches and club staff, as well as the well wishes he received from members and supporters.
“I felt like I’d put a lot of work in over the off-season. The start of the pre-season I hit the ground running and I was feeling really strong and way fitter,” he says.
“The injury really dampened my positive mindset so it was a real challenge for a couple of weeks.
“The boys were great. I got a lot of messages and a lot of support.
“I was in the Royal Adelaide Hospital. My housemates came and saw me – Dyl Williams and Sam Hayes came and made some pasta for me.
“I was in a negative mindset but everyone got around me, even my first session back running.
“It wasn’t a major long-term injury but any injury when you get back running and everyone gets around you, it’s a nice feeling and goes a long way to show our connection and culture here.
“I have definitely felt loved.”
Now back in full contact training, Lord is continuing to build his fitness and aiming to play in Port Adelaide’s SANFL trial games against North Adelaide and the Crows on March 18 and 26 respectively.
And while his injury has set it back, the dream of an AFL debut remains.
“Before this I felt like I was making good ground in the pre-season,” he says.
“I’ll keep striving for that debut whenever the team needs me and whenever I deserve it.
“In my first few years I thought it was further away than I thought but I can definitely see it there in the future. It’s just about how hard I’m willing to work and when the opportunity arises.”
Port Adelaide will take on the Roosters at Thebarton Oval from 11am on Saturday 18 March and then host the Crows at Alberton on Sunday 26 March from 10am.
Both games are open to the public with free admission.
