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View Full Version : Bulldog Dale Morris finally has his day after suffering a broken leg back in 2011



bornadog
01-04-2013, 10:11 AM
link (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/teams/bulldog-dale-morris-finally-has-his-day-after-suffering-a-broken-leg-back-in-2011/story-e6frf9nx-1226609159509)

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/148216-dale-morris-and-family_zpsf75a492a.jpg

AUGUST 13, 2011.


http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/151539-injury_zpse732ee60.jpg
AN INJURED DALE MORRIS SIGNALS FOR A TRAINER BEFORE COLLAPSING IN PAIN WITH A BROKEN LEG. PICTURE: MICHAEL KLEIN HERALD SUN


As Dale Morris lies prone on the Etihad Stadium turf, his wife Gemma is at home "blissfully unaware" that his leg, and possibly career, has been shattered.

Six months pregnant, Gemma is watching the Western Bulldogs' game against Essendon on a half-hour delay.

Then the calls come.

First from her best friend, then Morris's parents.

The friend, who is at the game, makes her way to the Morris house in Keilor to look after their two-year-old son Riley so Gemma can rush to Morris's bedside at The Avenue in Windsor.

But first she has to see the fateful marking contest for herself on the screen.

"Seeing the look in his eyes and him screaming ... I'd literally never even heard him yell before, so I knew then it was bad," she said.

"That's all I was worried about, was how much pain he was in and what he was going through.

"I wasn't even thinking about us and what might happen."

But Morris is.

He is lying in the hospital room already thinking about the burden he will become.

A couple of hours have passed before Gemma reaches Morris, who is still in his playing gear.

He will stay in his shorts and jumper for two days, such is the pain when he moves.

"He just looked so vulnerable and defenceless lying there on his back," Gemma says.

"He couldn't move, he was in so much pain. If his leg moved a centimetre it was excruciating for him.

"We didn't say anything. I just kissed him and he just stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't even speak."

Rather than insert a rod, surgeons set the broken bone with a view to letting it calcify.

It will heal naturally, but Morris needs a cast all the way from his foot to his hip. For a month he can hardly move.

"We had to set up the house like a rehab centre," Gemma says.

"He had to get from the wheelchair on to the toilet seat with handles ... we had to have ramps all around the house for the wheelchair.

"I couldn't sleep in the bed with him for three months because any movement with his leg would hurt him too much. We set up his bean bag and it had to be positioned a certain way so his leg could sit at the right angle, and then he had to lie flat on his back.

"It killed his back as well. He was in agony, but he just had to be like that. He would take a huge amount of pain-killers just to go to bed.

"I would wheel him in and it would break my heart to have to put him in to bed and leave him there overnight.

"We had Riley's new bed that we had bought, so I slept on that in the spare room, which was going to be Charlie's nursery.

"And then in the morning he'd ring my phone to say he was ready to wake up and I'd wheel the wheelchair back in and get him in there.

"His cast was too heavy for me, so Dale had to lift his leg up and he would get into the wheelchair so slowly. We'd then sit at the breakfast table, have food and then put him on the couch for the day.

"He had to have a bed pan, he couldn't go to the toilet during the day. It was awful, and that was for the full month."
Nothing is easy.

"We only showered him every second day because it was just too difficult," Gemma says.

"So the days that Riley was at creche we timed it so that Dale's mum would pick Riley up and I would shower Dale.

"Getting him dressed after was probably the hardest part because you had to pull his pants up over this big cast and not move his leg in the slightest.

"I would be in tears because I could see the pain he was in. He was trying not to say anything and I was trying to be as gentle as possible."

Gemma is a midwife. She had not worked for several months after suffering health complications in the early stages of her second pregnancy and, ironically, is due to return to her job on the Monday after Morris's accident

She would be put to work all right, but she didn't expect her patient would be her husband and she would be working for love, not money.

"I do all these nursing duties, but to have to do it for your husband and know that it's absolutely killing him to let you do this to him - he's lost all his dignity, all of his independence - it was awful," she says.

"People just don't know that side of it. They've seen him come back 18 months later and he looks awesome. He's fit, strong, got the muscles, but to think about what it took to get back to that is incredible.

"You just forget, it was so bad."

After about six weeks the process to gradually shave down the cast on Dale's leg begins. And just in time.

Early in October, Gemma, only 32 weeks pregnant, goes into labour.

She is in hospital for a week as doctors do all they can to prevent the baby from being born. Morris blames himself.

"I just thought with the injury and what I put her through with it all ... there was nothing else that would have caused this except for me," he says.

Doctors manage to halt the birth, but now it is Gemma who is consigned to bed rest - for eight weeks.

"I became the patient," Gemma says. "Dale was still in his cast, but he ended up taking over the house, looking after me and looking after Riley."

Morris is still on crutches, which makes washing the clothes especially difficult seeing as he has to hobble up a flight of steps to get to the laundry.

"In a strange way you start feeling good about yourself," he says.

"You're looking after Riley, looking after myself, looking after Gem, looking after the house.

"I guess it could have been a little blessing in disguise, if you can look at it that way, that I was thrown in that situation because I was forced to start doing things again."

It's now December and Charlie is born. And Morris, after confidence-boosting conversations with fellow broken leg victims Garry Lyon and Michael Barlow, is back in training with an eye on Round 1, 2012.

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/154638-morris-in-training_zps6566333d.jpg

One morning, as he drives himself to Whitten Oval and Riley to the neighbouring creche, he is confronted by Riley's comprehension of his injury.

After weeks of running on an Alter-G machine - a weight-bearing treadmill - at the club, Dale is preparing to run outside for the first time.

"I remember saying to Riley in the car, 'Daddy's going to go for a run today', because I was excited about it," he says.

"But he started to get upset and said, 'I don't want you to'.

I asked him what was wrong and why he didn't want me to run and he goes, 'Because I don't want you to hurt your leg again'."

The run goes well. Everything, finally, is going OK.

That is, until 16 minutes in to his low-key return with Williamstown reserves on the last weekend of April.

The tightness he feels in his leg is later diagnosed as a stress fracture 3cm below the initial break.

After all this time he requires surgery to put a plate on the fibula bone.

"When they said there was a break in there I just had flashbacks to everything we went through when I was bedridden," Morris says.

The leg ended up feeling better with the plate in for support, but Morris soon accepts the reality he will not play again in 2012.

He also questions whether he will ever play again.

"Especially after the setback I did," he says.

"Early days with the injury I had no idea how everything was going to heal and if everything was going to come back to normal.

"And you hit the age of 30 and everyone starts doubting you anyway, so I had a few things working against me.

"We'd sit there and say, 'I want to believe I can do it', but with such a big injury I just didn't know."

Gemma could have been forgiven for wanting her husband to hang up his boots.

"But I didn't want him to go out like that," she says.

"He'd played almost 150 games straight, he'd worked so hard and I just didn't want it to be taken away with such a devastating injury.

"I always said I wanted him to get back and play and finish on a good note."

Today provides Dale Morris with his first opportunity to start penning the final chapters of his playing career.

Now that he is back to full fitness he even speaks of being able to play until his kids can sit in the stands and appreciate what they are seeing.

For now, though, he is just happy with one game, his 152nd.

And after everything they've been through, that's enough for Gemma as well.

"He never complained once," she says. "He could have just thrown his hands in the air, cracked it and said it was all too hard, but he never did.

"I basically did, because it was. It was just so hard. But he was just amazing and strong minded. I'm so proud of the way he handled it. I just think he's incredible.

"I used to think he was pretty much invincible. Even his fractured back that he had a couple of years ago, he was only out for about four weeks.

"He just pushes through, nothing would get him down, but then to have this happen is a real wake-up call. Now I'm just scared as.

"To see him run out there and just be back to being Dale, he deserves nothing less than to go out there and play an awesome game."

AndrewP6
01-04-2013, 10:17 AM
What a top bloke, amazing. And Gemma's not too shabby either!

bornadog
01-04-2013, 10:17 AM
Played is usual great game on Saturday, boy was it good to see him back.

Max469
01-04-2013, 10:33 AM
It was fantastic to see Dale back on the ground and play so well on Saturday.

I have been lucky enough to have met him a few times and found him to be one of the nicest guys. Always remembers my name and makes you feel he wants to talk to you because he wants to, not because he has too.

Reading the above brings tears to my eyes. I remember talking to Dale the night before Charlie was born, he was like anyone who is becoming a parent - so rapt and excited.

Gemma seems like the perfect fit for Dale.

Mr Dale Morris - welcome back.

strebla
01-04-2013, 10:41 AM
Wow great insight gem is aptly named isn't she

Murphy'sLore
01-04-2013, 10:45 AM
Beautiful story and really highlights just how much the partners have to go through, too, as unpaid support staff.

Brought a tear to my eye too.

LostDoggy
01-04-2013, 11:10 AM
It was fantastic to see Dale back on the ground and play so well on Saturday.

I have been lucky enough to have met him a few times and found him to be one of the nicest guys. Always remembers my name and makes you feel he wants to talk to you because he wants to, not because he has too.

Reading the above brings tears to my eyes. I remember talking to Dale the night before Charlie was born, he was like anyone who is becoming a parent - so rapt and excited.

Gemma seems like the perfect fit for Dale.

Mr Dale Morris - welcome back.

Couldn't have said better myself.
The General is back

Rocco Jones
01-04-2013, 11:21 AM
Love the man.

How many times did you hear Bulldogs fans saying 'great to have you back Dale' etc on Saturday? Absolute gem.

LostDoggy
01-04-2013, 11:55 AM
Was absolutely amazing watching him play on saturday, was like he had never left, he seemed just to slot back into position with no fuss at all.I think having him back will make a huge difference to our team.

Bulldog4life
01-04-2013, 12:06 PM
He was great on Saturday. To have gone through what he has and front up again was testament to the man's courage and positive mindset. Have also spoken to Dale and he is a really gentleman. His smile is nearly as big as Brads.

LostDoggy
01-04-2013, 02:50 PM
It was fantastic to see Dale back on the ground and play so well on Saturday.

I have been lucky enough to have met him a few times and found him to be one of the nicest guys. Always remembers my name and makes you feel he wants to talk to you because he wants to, not because he has too.

Reading the above brings tears to my eyes. I remember talking to Dale the night before Charlie was born, he was like anyone who is becoming a parent - so rapt and excited.

Gemma seems like the perfect fit for Dale.

Mr Dale Morris - welcome back.
We were on a flight home from a game in Canberra a few years ago and Dale was in the row in front of us.
We would not have bothered him, but HE turned around and started talking to us, already loved him but this just confirmed to us what a nice guy he is, always smiling, deserves nothing but the best. It was amazing to see him back.

jeemak
01-04-2013, 03:06 PM
It was a beautiful thing seeing him on the park again. Really emotional in the last when he got a stat on the wing and the crowd was in raptures.

Remi Moses
01-04-2013, 04:13 PM
Dale Morris you are a star

boydogs
01-04-2013, 06:16 PM
What a story. We need to bombard the club with flowers for Gemma

Max469
01-04-2013, 06:20 PM
We were on a flight home from a game in Canberra a few years ago and Dale was in the row in front of us.
We would not have bothered him, but HE turned around and started talking to us, already loved him but this just confirmed to us what a nice guy he is, always smiling, deserves nothing but the best. It was amazing to see him back.


This doesn't surprise me in the least. Special Man

Bulldog Revolution
01-04-2013, 08:44 PM
Whilst we haven't tasted the ultimate success we've been very blessed over the past twenty plus years to have a lot of great players and people play for the club (and Im sure I will miss lots) - Brad Johnson, Chris Grant, Rohan Smith, Matt Croft, Steve Wallis, Robert Murphy, Daniel Cross, Daniel Giansiracusa, Matt Boyd, Luke Darcy etc etc - guys that are good players, teammates, clubmen, and role models

From a spectators perspective Dale Morris fits comfortably in that company and is almost as revered a figure as any of them.

Great to have you back

LostDoggy
02-04-2013, 10:35 AM
What a story and how much spirit does Dale have (and his family as well)? These are the unseen, usually untold aspects of a player's recovery.

So, so good to have you back on the park Dale - you have been missed!

w3design
02-04-2013, 03:25 PM
I can only say .... DITTO to all the sentiments expressed above.
Welcome back Dale, your a bl**dy hero !

Great story, and a great family. Congratulations to you all.

Round 1 was great, but watching Dale's return, and so good, will take some beating as my
highlight of season 2013.
Good luck for the rest of the season Mos.

Go_Dogs
02-04-2013, 09:57 PM
Also like to echo the sentiments in this thread, really shows the strength of the person, family and club that Dale has been able to get himself back from such a traumatic injury. Has to be one of the most universally admired players in the AFL. Great come back and here's hoping for another 60+ games to his career tally before it ends.

bornadog
03-04-2013, 11:58 AM
Interview on SEN here (http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Western-Bulldogs-Dale-Morris/7512)

LostDoggy
03-04-2013, 02:28 PM
I didn't realise how serious it was at the time. Absolutely loved cheering him every time he got the ball on Saturday. So nice to have Dale back on the field. :)

turtle
03-04-2013, 02:33 PM
I love the man. He is just the nicest guy you could ever meet. He makes the kids feel special and you can see is just so genuine and humble. He takes nothing for granted and gives his all on and off the field.
We are very very lucky to have him.

LostDoggy
18-08-2013, 07:57 AM
Dale has been offered and signed a new one year contract :)

Maddog37
18-08-2013, 07:59 AM
I love this man. He is just an absolute star.

chef
18-08-2013, 08:02 AM
Yay.

Hotdog60
18-08-2013, 08:24 AM
http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2013/08/17/1226698/980394-174599575.jpg
EXCLUSIVE: WESTERN Bulldogs defender Dale Morris has been rewarded with a new one-year deal, capping off a remarkable comeback season for a man who feared a year ago that his football career might have been over.

Morris, 30, has not missed a game this season after returning from an horrific broken leg suffered in 2011 and a separate stress fracture that put his career in serious doubt.

The one-time All-Australian is now thriving on the role of working with some of the Bulldogs' young key-position backmen, including Jordan Roughead and Michael Talia, as well as the rest of the defenders.

"At the start of the year it was a big unknown how my leg was going to go, so I'm absolutely rapt to get a new deal," Morris said ahead of today's clash with Adelaide.

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/02/14/1226578/216165-morris.jpg

"Coming off the injury that I've had and at my age, there are never going to be multi-year deals, but I've pleased the club has shown the faith and supported me through it all.

"I'm glad that I have been able to pay them back a little bit this year and I really love working with the young guys. Who knows, I didn't come into the system until I was 22, and then I had a year off with the injury, so hopefully I can hang around like (Dustin) Fletcher and play until I'm 40.

"I am still hopeful that I am still here when we have another crack at it. We are investing a lot of time into the young players, so that we can hopefully get the benefits later on."

Morris is enjoying playing more now than at any stage of his 170-game career, given his brush with footy mortality almost took it away from him.

"This year has been totally different to any other year I've played," he said.

"There were times when I thought I may never play footy again. So to get out there and to play every game, and to be up there with 'Roughy' in terms of game time, I never probably thought I would do that.

"I had some very low points. But the club has been fantastic for me the doctors, the physios, the fitness staff, the coaches and the players.

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/03/29/1226609/150205-morris.jpg

"I love it. I can't get enough of it. I guess I took it for granted before the injury and I am absolutely loving every moment out there now."

Morris said he can feel the Bulldogs patiently building under coach Brendan McCartney and says he too has been learning, particularly working with the club's part-time defensive coach, triple Geelong premiership player Matthew Scarlett.

"He is pretty blunt about what he says, and doesn't worry about hurting your feelings or anything like that, which is great," Morris said. "If he sees it, he says it, but he will also follow it up with you and have a coffee afterwards."

He insists the improvement of the Bulldogs in the past month or so highlighted by competitive performances against Hawthorn, Sydney and Essendon as well as wins over Carlton and West Coast shows the impact McCartney has had on the group.

"'Macca' (McCartney) has been great. He is just so measured about what he does and says to us," Morris said.

"We've been building all year and it is really good to get the rewards in the last few weeks.

"We knew internally that we had it in us, but to put it into practice, that shows what we can achieve if we stick to the plan and keep working hard."
LINK (http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/western-bulldog-defender-dale-morris-wins-a-new-contract/story-fndv8weh-1226698983282)

LostDoggy
18-08-2013, 09:04 AM
Give him the captaincy next year too.

ratsmac
18-08-2013, 09:20 AM
Great stuff. He sounds like he wants to play forever too. What a champ

Eastdog
18-08-2013, 10:53 AM
Great news. Dale is a champion of our club and its great to see him playing after that major injury setback.

KT31
18-08-2013, 12:36 PM
Excellent, and refreshing to see a player agree one year at a time is enough after the injury he has had.

bornadog
18-08-2013, 02:20 PM
About a month ago, Macca said he could see Dale playing a few years yet. One year at a time is about right, from here on its downhill all the way.

Remi Moses
18-08-2013, 02:20 PM
Great to have his steadying influence on our young defence .
What a pro

Jeanette54
18-08-2013, 04:42 PM
Give him the captaincy next year too.

I have been watching the bulldogs since the late 50's.

In all that time my favourite Bulldog (with the obvious exception of EJ) was back man John Jillard.

I rate John as the second best Bulldog I have ever seen. Here I must admit to never having seen Allan Hopkins (thank goodness, I don't want to be that old) who my grandfather maintained until his dying day was the best Bulldog ever.

In recent years I have had a new favourite, Dale Morris, the thinking woman's footballer of choice.

Like JJ I love the way he gives his all, and goes about his job in the backline with no fuss or fanfare. His courage to come back after the serious leg break is unquestioned; and I congratulate the club on extending his contract....... but only for one year ? Come on guys he's worth far more than that.

And I whole heartedly support the "Dale Morris for Captain movement" .... not that I see anything wrong with Matty Boyd's reigning captaincy.

westdog54
18-08-2013, 05:09 PM
I have been watching the bulldogs since the late 50's.

In all that time my favourite Bulldog (with the obvious exception of EJ) was back man John Jillard.

I rate John as the second best Bulldog I have ever seen. Here I must admit to never having seen Allan Hopkins (thank goodness, I don't want to be that old) who my grandfather maintained until his dying day was the best Bulldog ever.

In recent years I have had a new favourite, Dale Morris, the thinking woman's footballer of choice.

Like JJ I love the way he gives his all, and goes about his job in the backline with no fuss or fanfare. His courage to come back after the serious leg break is unquestioned; and I congratulate the club on extending his contract....... but only for one year ? Come on guys he's worth far more than that.And I whole heartedly support the "Dale Morris for Captain movement" .... not that I see anything wrong with Matty Boyd's reigning captaincy.

When you're the wrong side of 30 and coming back from a serious injury, you're a year by year proposition, unless you're Gary Ablett. 1 Year is fair enough, and if he's still fit and firing ye'll probably take another year at the end of next year.

LostDoggy
18-08-2013, 11:14 PM
... the thinking woman's footballer of choice. ...

Right on Jeanette!

A very special player is Dale. Glad he has been retained for another year and we can take it for granted that he will give his utmost next season. I've said it before, he just doesn't play like he's come out of an horrendous injury. Amazing.

LostDoggy
19-08-2013, 12:33 PM
I love Dale, and want to see him play until he's 45. But as the captain, no. I honestly don't think older players should be captain, as it can make it tougher to make the hard calls when it comes to their time to step back a bit. Look at Boyd — it's taken him a season to adjust to the fact he's no longer Ball Getter #1 in the midfield.

Let him play unhindered by the captain role. Griff really deserves it anyhow.