Scott Neville is out for the season after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament in Sunday’s win over Melbourne Victory.
Hunter Ports Newcastle Jets defender Scott Neville will miss the remainder of the 2013/14 Hyundai A-League season after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park.
Neville picked up the injury in the 26th minute of Sunday-s contest and had to be stretchered from the field.
Despite the disappointment of his season being ended prematurely, Neville is remaining upbeat and said his focus is now set firmly on working hard during the rehabilitation phase to ensure he is back playing as soon as possible.
“I-ve just been trying to stay positive and that-s the only way you can go about it really,” Neville said.
“I-ve already started the first part of the rehab today and we have a great physio and medical staff here at the Jets, so I-ve just got to take their advice and stick to the tasks they give me.
“I-ll be working as hard as I can to get back as soon as I can. It-s just another bump in the road I-ll have to overcome and I-ll make sure I come back better and stronger next season.
“In the meantime, I-ll be supporting the boys with whatever they need, whether that-s carry drinks or helping to strap ankles or whatever it may be.
“I want to stay positive for them because I definitely think we can go on to have a really successful season.”
Neville said he expected to have surgery to repair the knee in either late December or early January.
“With most ACL injuries you have to strengthen the other ligaments around it before you get the surgery just to make sure it-s nice and strong going into it,” Neville said.
“I-ll do a bit of rehab for two or three weeks beforehand and get the operation around Christmas or just after the New Year.”
Newcastle Jets assistant coach Craig Deans said the loss of Neville for the remainder of the season was a big blow for the Club, but was confident there was enough depth in the Jets- squad to adequately cover the right full-back position.
“It-s really disappointing for Scott because he-s worked really hard during the off-season to get himself to where he is and I think we-ve all seen how well he-s played during the first third of the season,” Deans said.
“On the weekend we saw Jacob Pepper come in at right-back and he did a really good job.
“Josh Brillante has played there and young Andrew Hoole has played there in the past.
“We-ve said all along this year that our squad depth is quite good and I don-t think we lost too much from when Scott went off to the end of the game, which was pleasing.”
