By RUSSELL BENNETT
YOUNG Kooweerup footballer Lachy Moss was only 20 when he was in hospital with a brain tumour.
But on Saturday at Garfield’s Beswick Street oval, the now 21-year-old made his return to senior footy – getting to belt out a heartfelt rendition of ‘Every Heart Beats True’ following his side’s big win.
He was originally diagnosed with a malignant Glioma tumour at the back of his brain, near his spinal cord. But this was after months of uncertainty; including frightening, seemingly unexplained seizures.
Even at his 21st birthday party earlier this year he had to put on a brave face without his hair or eyebrows. He wasn’t allowed to even have a celebratory beer.
It would have been easy to get angry at the world, to ask “why me?” But that’s not Lachy.
Speaking to the Gazette earlier this week, he gave some insight as to how he stayed positive.
“The whole thing made me stronger – mentally, more than anything,” he said.
“The way I looked at it when I was sick was that there’s always someone worse off than you are.
“Sometimes when I was getting my chemo I’d see little kids, six or seven-years-old, going through it too and that put it into context and made me that little bit stronger around them.
“It was difficult at the start – I was always tired and it’s cold in there at the hospital and quite dull – but those kids were still laughing… they didn’t know what was going on, really.
“Even if they felt tired after the chemo you’d still see them playing around.”
Those little fighters had inspired Lachy, but on Saturday it was his turn. Demons’ coach Matt Shorey has long been a key part of the youngster’s support network and he made him the focus of his pre-game speech. In reality, Saturday wasn’t just any other day.
For Lachy it was the culmination of a long, hard road back to senior footy. He just wanted to be out there with his mates again and after a few games in the reserves, Shorey gave him his top-flight chance again.
“I love my footy – I always have since I was a young kid,” Lachy said.
“I started at Fountain Gate under-9s when I was about five-and-a-half or six but I’ve always been injured in the seniors at Koowee – I think I must’ve played 20 out of a possible 60 games!
“I’ve had a hand injury, broken my collarbone, tore my calf but (Matt) Shorey came up to me during the week and said they might pick me for this week but no guarantees.
“I wasn’t too sure how I’d go because I was a bit under-done, fitness wise but I got a run and played more game time than I thought too.”
Lachy – who is still about 10 kilograms above his ideal playing weight thanks to a combination of his cancer treatment and an inability to train with any consistency – was only expecting to play a half but ended up playing around three quarters of the game.
“I played in the forward line and I went in the midfield for the last five minutes – that’s where I normally play,” he said.
“It was a really good feeling.
“All Shorey said they wanted from me was to kick goals.”
He ended up with two majors – including one with just his second possession. His first – a handball – was part of a sequence of play that also involved his best mate, and Demons’ team-mate, Nathan Prosser.
Lachy told him about his cancer battle before even his parents.
“It was easier than telling them,” he said.
“He got a bit emotional but he’s been my best mate since we were little kids.”
Lachy held off telling his parents about his diagnosis because he didn’t want them to worry – he wanted to handle the pressure himself.
But after telling them; and later his friends – including some at the footy club; and his work colleagues – including his boss Ash Rady at the Casey Cardinia Telstra Business Centre, he realised just what a huge support network he had.
“I almost teared up a bit before the start of the game (on Saturday) while Shorey was doing his speech,” Lachy admitted.
“He is the best bloke, and he’s also the best coach I’ve ever had – he backed me in, gave the boys a bit of a pump up, and away we went.
“I love the club.
“They gave me the opportunity to play this year, and I was just stoked about it.”
Soon – another important date on Lachy’s footy calendar: Saturday, 26 July against Cora Lynn and his great mate Jackson Dalton.
