Elise Kellond-Knight reveals what helped her get back on the pitch so quickly from horror Achilles injury

Kellond-Knight, snapped her Achilles tendon during a training session with A-League‘s women’s club Melbourne Victory in March – ruling the Matildas player out of what was likely to be her final FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The 33-year-old is no stranger to injuries and comebacks having twice ruptured an ACL.

But she said the Achilles injury was different.

“The first four months of an Achilles is by far the worst,” she said. “It’s just horrible.

“You go through surgery and then they stick you in a cast and you’re stuck with your toes pointed down.

“Then as the weeks progress they put you in a boot and then you can week by week, slowly bring your foot back up to neutral which takes eight weeks and in that time, you’re on a scooter because you are non-weight bearing.

“You can’t do anything, can’t carry anything.

“It’s a pretty horrible first three, four months and then it takes about four and a half months to get a good walking gait back.

“It was regular rehab every day working on what we could work on.”

Kellond-Knight had to juggle rehab with her studies, she has just finished her MBA, and working as a football expert with Channel 7 during the World Cup.

“I had a ridiculous schedule,” she said.

“But Victory were so accommodating, with 5.30am sessions a lot of the time and just trying to fit it in where we could.”

The midfielder didn’t play in Victory’s first game of the season but came off the bench in their Round 2 loss to Western United – playing 12 minutes.

“There is always a level of anxiety when you come back from a serious injury, it’s like ‘God I just don’t want to break something else’,” Kellond-Knight said.

“I think that anxiety hangs around for a little bit and then you get over it and then you feel healthy again.”

This time around Kellond-Knight was a little bit less anxious as she knew what her body could handle thanks to sticking with her favourite hobby surfing during her rehab.

“I’ve been surfing a lot and it’s helped as you get in some pretty weird, challenging positions,” she said.

“You jump off your board and land on weird surfaces and get hit by waves, unpredictable stuff. And at the moment we are training on a really sandy pitch and it’s quite slippery so if you can handle that then a normal field is fine.

“It’s a little bit traumatising because when I ruptured my Achilles it was in a moment that I slipped, so anytime I lose my footing it’s kind of like PTSD.”

During last weekend’s international break Kellond-Knight and Victory played a friendly with the Young Matildas – lasting 45 minutes on the field.

The midfielder is doing her best to keep her focus on the A-League competition, not letting herself get caught up in the possibility of making a national team return in time for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“It’s like with any rehab, it’s just step by step,” Kellond-Knight said.

“So this phase that I’m in now is just about focusing on club and getting consistent minutes and then if I get to a level that Matildas would be interested in then of course, I’d put my hand up but for now, it’s just about playing well at this level, being consistent, staying healthy and enjoying it – that’s the main thing.”

In the international break Kellond-Knight played 45 minutes for Victory in a friendly match with the Young Matildas.

“Hopefully we can build on that this weekend, it’s just about loading me up,” she said.

“It’s really hard with an Achilles because the main danger is your calf muscle can take so long to grow back, it’s why so many take 12 months to get back to sport. You have to be careful not to go from zero to 100.”

Victory are yet to register a win but this weekend’s clash with Adelaide United will be a good chance to get some points on the board.

With experienced players such as Kellond-Knight and Emily Gielnik injured, Victory were always expected to have a bumpy start to the season.

Kellond-Knight said Gielnik wasn’t far off making her return to the pitch.

“We’ve still got great players to come back, Em Gielnik is going to have a great impact once she gets herself right,” she said.

“But we are desperately in need of three points this weekend.”

Melbourne Victory play Adelaide United at 5pm on Saturday (AEDT).

SYDNEY FC SET TO TAKE ON ASIA’S BEST

Sydney FC coach Ante Juric isn’t afraid to test his teenage superstars against teams stacked with World Cup athletes at the AFC Women’s Club Championships next week.

After winning three back-to-back premierships Sydney FC’s women’s team finally get a chance to test themselves against the best in Asia at the AFC Women’s Club Championships in Uzbekistan from Monday.

With the majority of national team players from Asian countries playing in their own domestic leagues it means Sydney FC’s young outfit will be up against some of the best Asian women’s footballers.

The Sky Blues will be missing star forward Cortnee Vine, who injured her hamstring playing for Australia in the Olympic qualifiers, and captain Natalie Tobin, who tore her ACL in round one of the A-League‘s’ women’s competition.

Juric said it was unfortunate timing in terms of the tournament but ideal when it came to the A-League‘s’ women’s competition – with Sydney not playing its next game until November 14.

“It sort of works out,” Juric said.

“Having Cortnee out is unfortunate, but she has had a big World Cup before pre-season. We never want injuries but if there is a right time for one this is it as she can get a bit of rest. It’s not a major injury.”

The AFC Club Championships is the top eight clubs from the region, split into two pools of four.

Juric said he had been waiting years for a chance to take the team overseas and compete in the competition.

“We’ve been gunning for it for a while but with Covid and the event not happening we didn’t manage to play, so it’s nice to get the reward after winning the premiership,” Juric said.

Sydney FC will play Iranian club Bam Khatoon, Nasaf from host nation Uzbekistan and South Korean club Incheon Red Angels.

Bam Khatoon has won five of the last six Iranian Women’s League titles, FC Nasef 13 of the last 17 titles in Uzbekistan and Hyundai Red Steel Angels has won all of the past 10 Korean Women’s Football League titles.

Most of these teams are made up of at least six players from their World Cup teams – with Bam Khatoon featuring 10 of the players from the side that just played in the Olympic qualifiers in Perth.

It means teenage sensations Indiana Dos Santos, Zara Kruger, Shay Hollman and Jynaya Dos Santos, all aged 16-18 years old will have the chance to take on some of the best players in the world at a senior level.

“It is going to be extremely hard,” Juric said.

“The South Korean team has six or seven internationals from the World Cup, Iran just lost to the Matildas 2-0 and most of the national team play for Bam Khatoon.

“We are Sydney FC and we want to win but we are going with the understanding that it is going to be difficult. We will give it a good crack though.”

Juric said regardless of the results it would be an amazing opportunity for the team, especially the younger players who haven’t had any international experience at a senior level.

“We are taking 22 players and I’m going to rotate to give everyone the opportunity and I also need to keep on the W-League so we aren’t too tired when we get back,” Juric said.

“To play a team with seven South Korean internationals in it is going to be a huge learning experience for our younger players.”

If Sydney FC top Group B they will qualify for the final against the Group A winners later in 2024.

This year’s tournament is a precursor to next year’s inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League.

Games are expected to be streamed on the Uzbekistan Football Association YouTube channel.

The team

1 Jada Whyman

2 Margaux Chauvet

3 Charlotte McLean

4 Tori Tumeth

5 Kirsty Fenton

6 Lucy Johnson

7 Teigan Collister

9 Shea Connors

13 Aideen Keane

14 Abbey Lemon

17 Jynaya Dos Santos

18 Taylor Ray

19 Zara Kruger

20 Princess Ibini

21 Shay Hollman

22 Indiana Dos Santos

23 Fiona Worts

24 Caley Tallon-Henniker

25 Jessica Seaman

30 Tahlia Franco

40 Jasmine Black

Fixture details

Sydney FC (Australia) v Bam Khatoon (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Monday 6th November 2023

Jar Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Kick Off: 9:00pm AEDT (3:00pm UZT – Local)

FC Nasef (Uzbekistan) v Sydney FC (Australia)

Thursday 9th November 2023

Pakhtakor Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Kick Off: 12:00am AEDT (Friday midnight) (6:00pm UZT – Local)

Sydney FC (Australia) v Hyundai Red Steel Angels Women’s FC (Korea Republic)

Sunday 12th November 2023

Jar Stadium, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Kick Off: 9:00pm AEDT (3:00pm UZT – Local)