Football coach undergoes surgery

KNEE SURGERY: Millicent Football coach Clint Gallio was scheduled to have a much needed knee reconstruction.

MILLICENT Football Club coach Clint Gallio was scheduled to have a knee reconstruction at a private hospital in Adelaide yesterday.

The surgery was ordered by doctors after the rookie Saints coach damaged his anterior cruciate ligament in the match against Casterton Sandford at Island Park on June 3.

Millicent Football Netball Club president Craig Tunkin said an initial diagnosis was made a few weeks ago and confirmed with a second opinion on Tuesday.

Mr Tunkin said a full recovery from the surgery was expected to take about 10 months.

He said Mr Gallio was unlikely to be able to coach this weekend and so assistant coach Craig Turner would temporarily step into the position against South Gambier at Blue Lake Sports Park in Mount Gambier on Saturday.

“We are very disappointed to lose him as a player,” Mr Tunkin said.

“However, there are many other reasons why we appointed him as coach.

“His leadership qualities, footy knowledge and experience will still apply.

“He has been a great asset to the club.”

Prior to his injury, Mr Gallio had been in outstanding form with the Saints and helped to lift them to third position on the ladder of the Western Border Football League.

His on-field efforts in 2017 had been recognised with media awards and selection in the WBFL interleague training squad.

It was considered quite a recruiting coup over summer when Millicent secured the services of the captain of the Mount Burr United Football Club.

Mr Gallio already has four league medals in the Mid South East Football League to go with the hat-trick of A-grade premiership successes with the Mozzies from 2009 to 2011 and further grand final wins in 2015 and again last season.

He won the 2008 Malseed Medal as the best and fairest in the senior colts competition, the 2012 and 2013 Walker Medals (for runner-up to the Mail Medal) and the 2015 Mail Medal.

Numerous representative honours have come Mr Gallio’s way during his underage and senior MSEFL career including selection in the 2016 SACountry training squad.

His 149th and last game in a green and gold guernsey was the 2016 grand final at Hatherleigh when he claimed the Stan Jones Memorial Medal as best on ground.

Over last summer Mr Gallio played football with distinction in Darwin and he is also a basketballer of note.