AFTER booting more than 1000 goals, a back injury has forced an end to the career of central Victorian superboot Grant Weeks.
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Weeks confirmed on Wednesday that he has played his last game of football because of a prolapsed disc in his back.
Renowned as one of the stars of country football throughout Victoria – not just this region – Weeks has kicked 1066 goals over the past 13 years through stints at his home club Colbinabbin, Golden Square, Rochester, the Bendigo Bombers and Bendigo Pioneers.
Six times the 28-year-old topped the century mark, including kicking a Bendigo Football League record 164 goals in 2012.
“Unfortunately, I’ve got a dodgy back and I’ve been advised to basically give footy away,” Weeks said.
“I’ve got a prolapsed disc that’s mid to higher back; if it was lower back surgery can be done a bit easier, but with where it is, the surgery is a bit more invasive and is seen as a last option.
“If I was to play footy and cop a knee in the back in that spot, which I tend to get a few of, it could end up pretty bad in terms of a wheelchair, so it’s pretty obvious not to play footy anymore.
“That’s the way the cookie crumbles unfortunately… you win some and you lose some and I’ve had a good run.”
Weeks had spent the past two seasons back at Colbinabbin – returning for the club’s centenary season in 2015 – following five years away at Golden Square (2010-12) and Rochester (2013-14).
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He won the Heathcote District Football-Netball League’s Cheatley Medal in his first year back at the Grasshoppers in 2015, bucking the trend of league medals being midfielder awards.
Weeks played in a hat-trick of premierships in his three years at Golden Square when he kicked 451 goals in 59 games, while he also played in a flag as a 15-year-old with Colbinabbin in 2004.
Weeks – who away from the footy field is a farmer – has a fifth premiership in the Northern Territory Football League with St Mary’s, while he’s a multiple Victoria Country representative.
“I’ve had the back injury since the first week of January, so it has taken a fair while to get a diagnosis on it,” Weeks said.
“I’ve had a few scans and seen a few surgeons and the actual diagnosis is a prolapsed disc going onto my spinal chord. If I can manage it, hopefully, I won’t need to have surgery, but if it gradually gets worse then I’ll have to head down the surgery path.
“It’s disappointing to finish the way it has, but I’ve achieved a lot and I’m happy with that. Although, it would have been nice to get one more flag at Colbo.”
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While he won’t be on the field, Weeks will maintain an active role with Colbinabbin this year.
“I haven’t got an official role, but I’m going to help out on the bench and with selection and things like that and be at probably 75 per cent of the games,” Weeks said.
“I’ll probably take the opportunity as well to do a bit of travelling… I haven’t had a winter for 15 years where I can do what I want on the weekend, so it will be nice to have a bit of free time to do whatever.”
Colbinabbin begins its 2017 season on Saturday, April 8, against Leitchville-Gunbower at Leitchville.
The Grasshoppers – again coached by Nick Knight – will play three practice matches: against Bridgewater at Colbinabbin on March 17, Romsey at Romsey on March 25 and South Bendigo at a venue to be confirmed on April 1.