Mitch Wallis says missing Western Bulldogs’ premiership driving those that missed out

Eliza Sewell, Herald Sun
January 17, 2017 8:33pm
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Mitch Wallis has declared the Bulldogs breakthrough premiership is driving him and his luckless comrades who also missed the grand feat.

Wallis on Monday ran on an AlterG anti-gravity treadmill for the first time since breaking his leg in a sickening episode at Etihad Stadium in Round 18.
He said he experienced many highs and lows, but was always made to feel part of the premiership-winning run.

And now, the victory is his inspiration.
“There’s enough premiership photos and memorabilia around the joint that I get reminded of it every day so it’s making me push that much harder, and Jack (Redpath) and Rob (Murphy) too and Lin Jong who missed out last year and Stewie Crameri,” Wallis said.

“I’m a Bulldogs supporter at heart and I grew up watching the Doggies and (I was) yet to taste success in all my years of supporting, so when I was finally in the crowd and watching us win, you can’t overcome the excitement.

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Mitch Wallis and Tom Boyd after the 2016 Grand Final. Picture: Mark Stewart

“It was tough, especially when you reflect on it, but I think that’s another motivating factor going forward, that I want to taste that success so I’m going to do everything, every day in order to get back there and win finals and win a premiership.”

An upbeat Wallis said he had more surgery before Christmas and now has no rods or pins in his leg. The midfielder is now simply waiting for the bone to heal.
He ran for what he joked was a “marathon” 13 minutes on Monday, but he was happy with that.
“I was so excited, couldn’t wipe the smile off my face,” said Wallis, who did not nominate a target return date.
“I’m definitely going to have an impact this year whether it’s early, in the middle of the season or late, we’ll wait and see.

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Mitch Wallis is carried off after breaking his leg.

“I’m not nervous as such, I’m excited to progress but when I start running outside and kicking and getting contact’s probably the biggest hurdles I’ll face just to get that confidence back and make sure I attack it with 100 per cent vigour and not hold back.”

The Western Bulldogs men’s and women’s teams trained together for the first time on Tuesday ahead of February’s AFLW season.

“Hopefully it’s the starts of something special,” Wallis said.
“It sort of amazes me that it’s taken this long for it to happen but I’m glad the Bulldogs were one of the team that put their hands up.”