Earlier this month, Brisbane Broncos star Deine Mariner had to undergo emergency surgery to save his leg. The 23-year-old developed acute compartment syndrome symptoms following the Broncos' loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Injury and Emergency Response
Mariner originally left the field with a corked thigh and returned to play before things took a worrying turn. Shortly after the final whistle, he reported pain and swelling in his upper leg, requiring surgery to relieve the pressure. Team doctor Matt Hislop delivered positive news, stating that Mariner would likely be able to return to action despite the severity of the injury.
Recovery Timeline
Mariner has now expressed his desire to return this season. Posting a picture on Instagram hinting at a comeback, he stated: 'I think we're looking around the eight-week mark. It gives me a bit more hunger to get back out there. I will always back myself to get back to my best footy, but right now I'm just focused on recovering well.'
He added: 'It's just about getting my leg to fully bend. At the moment it's stuck a bit, so once that opens up, I'll be able to start moving again. That will be my main focus the next couple of weeks.'
Positive Outlook
Despite the concerns, Mariner has maintained a positive outlook. 'I tried to look at the bright side of things. You know, I was still breathing. I'm still alive,' he said. 'And I think being in ICU, I saw a lot of other people that don't get a second chance, so I was pretty grateful to obviously have my leg.'
Mariner expressed gratitude at still having his leg: 'To be honest, I didn't think about it too much because when I woke up, I saw my leg still there, so I was like, 'Oh, it'd be pretty bad if I woke up and my leg wasn't there'. But I didn't think of it even after. I know people were saying that I could have lost it, but I didn't. So, you know, I'm just pretty lucky to be in this position.'
Medical Background
Mariner was speaking at Broncos HQ after six surgeries at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital to get his leg in condition to fly home from Sydney. The syndrome is a condition that restricts blood flow and can lead to amputation if untreated. 'They've never seen it before in the thigh. It's pretty common in the shin I think, but even the doctors were saying that they've never seen this before,' Mariner said. 'So, you know, it's just one of those bad luck situations. But I've accepted it, so it's fine.'
He also opened up on how quickly things developed: 'They actually gave me the early diagnosis of the compartment syndrome, which I had never heard of before. They rushed me straight to hospital, so I was pretty lucky to have Luke and Matt with me. I got rushed into surgery, so I didn't really get to understand what was happening. All I knew was that there was a lot of pressure on my leg at the time.'
Mariner had a total of six surgeries as doctors worked to save his leg, and now he is able to focus on making a return to the sport.
