THE days of training at full capacity are over for Merbein footballer Daniel Tung.
But the 31-year-old wouldn’t have it any other way after suffering a back injury which forced him to miss the first six weeks of the 2022 SFNL season.
Tung was celebrating the birth of his child Lilah at the start of April when a disc bulge sent him to hospital.
The former Merbein player-coach said being unable to support his partner Aleesha and newborn was the “biggest challenge” he faced for the year.
“We had our little girl a week before I did my back, so we had a one-week-old baby at home and me laying in hospital for two days,” Tung said.
“(Aleesha) had a fair bit going on with the newborn. She was a massive help for the first couple of weeks because I couldn’t really hold (Lilah) or do anything because I couldn’t get down or up properly.
Tung said he also appreciated the support from Aleesha’s mom, stepdad and his gym.
“The gym that I go to were really supportive. When I went back to start rehab, they were really concerned with how I was going and made sure I was doing everything right.
“It gives you confidence that no matter what happens in that community you’re in, that you’re going to have support, whether it’s a good or a bad outcome.
“It is a good feeling when people do reach out and I know a few people sent messages to my wife making sure she was okay.
The former premiership player in the Ballarat Football League said he no longer trained as hard as he used to ensure he could play football every week.
“I train in runners to try and keep the impact off the feet and only wear footy boots on Saturday,” he said.
“I don’t go through (training) at 100 or 80 per cent anymore, I just go through at 50-60 per cent. And just make sure I’m maintaining my back and I’m doing anything silly to aggravate it.
“The main aim is to run out in the afternoon game every week and whatever you got to do throughout the week, you’ve got to do.”
Merbein’s senior side has not repeated the success from 2021 when the Magpies were dark horses for the title, but Tung continued his fine season at the weekend kicking a goal to help the Magpies win by 17 points.
Tung, who served as Merbein’s player coach in 2021, said he was “a bit more relaxed” not having to worry about as many things during the week.
But he said he still played a role as an on-field coach in defence to help out coaches Vinnie Rodi and Joe Cavallo who spend their time primarily in the forward half.
*As the Holcroft Lawyers Footballer of the Week, Tung receives $125 from Holcroft Lawyers, 143 Langtree Avenue, Mildura, and is in the running to be the Holcroft Lawyers Footballer Of The Year winner.
