Wellesley Grace Wisnewski’s season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury has confirmed Phoenix’s worst fears.
Scan results have confirmed the worst for Wisnewski, who was forced off the field in the first twenty seconds of Saturday’s 2-1 Liberty A-League victory over Brisbane Roar, raising concerns.
The 21-year-old midfielder will miss the rest of the 2023–24 season due to an ACL rupture.
According to Phoenix head coach Paul Temple, “it’s heartbreaking for her.” Simply put, it’s something that no player should ever witness, especially a young one at the beginning of the season.
“Really saddened for her and disappointed that the rest of the season won’t allow us to see her again.”
“I guess fortunately we have Flea (Annalie Longo), Alex Rufer, and Olivia Ingham who have been through that, and who are coming out on the other side,” Temple continued.
“She will receive all the support she needs from us because there are some people at the Phoenix who will understand exactly what she’s going through.
“The facilities are easily accessible from NZCIS, making it an excellent location for rehabilitation.”
The Phoenix, who have had an incredible start to the Liberty A-League season, are devastated.
Wellington is now only three points behind Perth Glory in third place in the standings after winning back-to-back games for the first time in team history.
On Sunday, the Phoenix take on Western United, the Grand Finalists from the previous season, at Sky Stadium.
“It is evident from the statistics that female athletes have a higher risk of ACL injuries, so we need to investigate further ways to help female athletes,” Temple stated.
We simply cannot continue at this pace, so we must consider every factor that could have an impact, including the caliber of the pitches, the pre-season schedules, the size of the squads and the benches.
“We really need to consider the demands we are placing on these players, and limiting the duration of the preseason is a good place to start.
“In five weeks, each team is expected to prepare, with an international window falling in the middle. Simply put, there isn’t enough time to get the players ready for the longer season ahead of them.
“I’m not a medical expert, and there can’t be a single factor at blame, but common sense dictates that we should be providing athletes with more support as we ask them to do more.”
