By Tyler Lewis
From sitting in a hospital bed pondering a life with only one leg, to playing VFL football – Liam Myatt’s story is nothing short of inspirational.
Following in the footsteps of his cousins who he idolised, Myatt started his junior career at Narre Warren before entering the TAC Cup system.
At the Stingrays, Myatt was a regular right through his years, but it was at the same time his life changed dramatically.
“I was in from under-14s, 16s, played six or seven games as a bottom ager and then in my top age year I played about four games and did my knee,” he said.
“After that, footy wasn’t really my first preference, I lost interest in it and made some bad decisions.
“I was all footy, footy, footy until I did my knee and when I did it I had time away from footy, I took advantage of that but I paid the price.
“I still got invited to the draft combine and I didn’t go, looking back on it now it is one of the worst decisions I have ever made.
“That is one of my biggest regrets – I didn’t take that as seriously as I should have.”
Unfortunately for Myatt, his first ACL injury wasn’t the end of his horrific run of injuries and it only got worse from then on.
“Six months into my rehab I did my knee again and that is when it got infected,” he said.
“It was pretty bad, it got in my bones.
“I had to spend three weeks in the hospital, getting it drained and I had four arthroscopes.
“I nearly had to get it amputated.
“Then the doctors came to me and said ‘You will never play footy again’ which was hard because it all happened in the space of a year and a half.”
Going through the run of injuries and seeing some familiar faces on the television – Myatt decided it was time for him to come back to the game but, it didn’t go to plan immediately.
“It took me about two years to get over that (the injuries),” he said.
“I saw all the boys I was playing Stingrays with playing VFL footy and some even AFL.
“I guess I got jealous because I was doing nothing.
“Last year was my first pre-season in four years and I didn’t think I had a good season, I thought I was okay for the first ten games and then I did my knee again.
“That was scary, I had to get scans again and that takes a week, so it was a pretty long week waiting to see if I had done it again.
“If I had to get another reco I don’t think I would have played again but I got the all clear.
“I missed 10 games and came back for finals, we lost but against Berwick who had seven or eight A-graders, there isn’t much you can do sometimes.”
Despite facing a life without his leg, Myatt firmly believes that the biggest challenge he faced when hospitalised was the battle between the ears.
“It was a lot of mental going through an ACL, especially when you have done it twice,” he said.
“Going through what I went through, I think it is 10 times more mental than physical.
“Even when I came back I was recommended to go see a sports psychologist.
“Because If I hurt my left leg again or my ankle, I would think I have done my knee again.
“And if I got a knock on my knee I would overreact to it so I got recommended to see them and they just tell you ‘It isn’t that bad – you are stronger in your knee than you think’.
“I did see someone, not the sports psychologist.
“It was a bit too much money, you had to see them often and it was about $200 a session.
“But it was the same sort of person, it helped me a lot with the mental side of things and I don’t struggle with that anymore.”
The 22-year-old got to the end of the season and his tremendous resilience was rewarded with a call from the Frankston Dolphins.
“I got the Frankston call up and that was probably the best thing I have ever done,” he said.
“Having a preseason with them and I haven’t missed a game all year, it has been unreal.
“I think Danny Ryan is a great coach, he has a game plan, he has implemented it and it has been the best thing for me – physically and mentally.”
Myatt will be released from his VFL duties in a couple of weeks – returning to his beloved Narre Warren where he has an opportunity at that elusive premiership.
But for Myatt, although wanting to win the premiership – the time on the field representing his club, side by side with his mates is just as desirable.
“It (Narre) is just a family club,” he said.
“I have two cousins who won about seven premierships between them there.
“I used to watch them every week when I was 12 or 13 and it was all I wanted to do.
“When I was 17 I was lucky enough to make my debut and I think at the time that was the best team Narre has ever had.
“I was involved in the streak – think we won about 40 games in a row but we went out in straight sets.
“That was 2014 and that still hurts.
“I keep going back because it is a missing chapter in my football career that I haven’t won a flag in my career and all my cousins did it there.
“Premierships are the main goal in my life but playing every game too.
“To miss as much footy as I have you just want to play as much footy as you can and if premierships come they come.
“Footy is a great game, you can’t play it forever.
“I have already missed three years of it and being 22 I want to play as much as I can.”
Myatt was named in the best for Frankston on the weekend against Footscray – the Dolphins have two matches remaining in the season concluding on 18 August.
Myatt will no doubt be a handy inclusion when he returns for Narre Warren in its final two matches against Woori Yallock and Berwick before finals.
