Sydney Swans forward Chloe Molloy has opened up about the gruelling recovery from a torn ACL, describing the injury as a 'different beast' that ruled her world for the past year. The star player, who was primed to lead the Swans towards the 2024 finals, suffered the injury during training before the second round.
Molloy initially tried to keep the severity of her injury secret to avoid worrying her teammates before their match against the Saints, which the Swans lost by 16 points. The team underachieved without her for the rest of the season. Molloy, then 25, faced a long and painful rehabilitation, including a graft taken from her hamstring to create a new ligament.
The recovery process involved tedious drills and a strict routine, with Molloy spending early weeks on crutches or icing her knee. She admitted to questioning her return to professional sport, given the risk of re-injury. However, she channelled her energy into rehabilitation, targeting a return for round one this year, which she achieved ahead of schedule.
Molloy has since returned to play in a warm-up match and leads the competition with 11 goals after two AFLW season outings, with her side unbeaten. She now focuses on showing up for her teammates, saying, 'What rules my world now is making sure I’m not letting the person next to me down.'
