Jezza’s Journal: West Coast Eagles star Jeremy McGovern on his horrible run with injury & their character win

West Coast Eagles vice-captain Jeremy McGovern is keeping his home town in the loop during this unprecedented AFL season. Read Jezza’s Journal every Thursday in the Advertiser. I’m down but not out. Going back to the Saints game, I copped a solid one to the head and did the concussion test, passed that and got back out there. The main reason I really wanted to get back out there was the type of game it was. It was such a big one for us and we already had key personnel out. I played about 10 minutes more and tore my hammy. As I jumped for that contest, I pushed off and did it then. When I first landed I thought I might have been cramping, but as soon as I stood on it I knew. I would have been a bit worried if I was cramping in the second term, to be honest. As I walked off, I was more thinking ‘what have I done wrong?’ I’m having a terrible run with injury this year but it’s just a bit of bad luck. I got to the bench and as I was the captain for the day, I just played a role on the bench as much as I could and kept the morale up with the boys, which can be tough when you lose someone early in the game. It was a big win for our footy club — one of the bigger ones I’ve been involved with. Four-day break, the last of that heavy block of games and injuries galore including our midfield being depleted. We were playing the Saints, who were playing for a spot in the finals, and with one of the youngest sides we’ve put out there in a long time, so the win had plenty of character. Simmo was pumped up after the game. The coaches had a tough week picking the side and you could see how proud he was of the boys. We had a couple of beers in the rooms afterwards and all spent some time together dissecting what has been a crazy couple of weeks. The most pleasing thing again for me is the kids. Xavier O’Neill goes into the midfield — he’s played three games; Duggan goes into the midfield; and Petruccelle is in his first game back. It just goes to show that our system and the way we play isn’t built on individuals. I got some scans and got the hamstring injury diagnosed. I’ll be pushing for four weeks and if I’m feeling all right, have ticked all the boxes, and have trained, then I’ll be considered for that second week of finals. The significance of the injury means a minimum four weeks, but it’s symptoms-based so if I turn the corner quickly I might be a slight chance. But the doctors are talking a minimum of four weeks. I’ve never done a hamstring like this before. I was almost expecting a week or so off, but it was straight into movement rehab and I began jogging on Tuesday and I’m doing lots of cardio and weights. I’ll be involved as much as I can this week, helping out the young backs, but I’ll basically be borderline a fan cheering from the stands. We leave Queensland in a couple of days and it will be great to get home. It looks like we’ll get a home final if we finish fifth or sixth. We play tonight and then fly out first thing tomorrow morning. I’m looking forward to seeing Madi and the kids. Pretty keen to mow my lawns as well, and just wake up in my own bed for a change.