Gryan Miers Clarifies ACL Injury Details
Geelong forward Gryan Miers has provided clarity on how he sustained his ACL injury. During an appearance on Zero Hanger’s Six Points podcast, Mark Stevens shared that the injury occurred outside of a football-related incident. Miers confirmed this during an interview on Channel Seven, stating it did not happen on the field.
Miers described the incident in a recent social media post: “Yeah (there was a wrestling incident involved). You can word it like that. But it wasn’t exactly wrestling. I tried to trip someone, and they pulled away from me and I was like, ‘geez, that’s not right’. And that’s literally it.”
He added that two days later, while training and planting his foot, he felt the same discomfort again. Despite this, Miers expressed confidence in his ability to perform, noting that his performance has supported him.
Medical Opinions and Treatment Decisions
Medical experts have advised that playing with a partially torn ACL is high risk. Dr Peter Larkins, speaking to Zero Hanger, explained that the decision to proceed without surgery involves input from the player, medical staff, and coaching team. He emphasized that the player must accept the risks involved.
Despite these concerns, Miers and the Geelong Cats are exploring alternative approaches. His return last week against Brisbane, where he collected 16 possessions in 74 percent of the game time, has given the club hope for his prospects this season.
Miers acknowledged differing opinions on his decision. “There’s opinions that it’s not good,” he said. “But, physically I feel good that maybe I’m a pioneer and the way it’s going, in that sense, but maybe I’m an idiot. We’ll just wait and see.”
He also noted that returning from a 12-month injury does not mean he is back to 100 percent. “If I can get to 90-95 percent, maybe that’s better than me coming off a 12-month reconstruction.”
Training and Return to Play
Following his injury during the Round 5 clash against West Coast, Miers underwent a four-week intense training block. This period included extensive consultations on the next steps in his recovery process.
The Cats have chosen to avoid knee surgery at this stage, which would have sidelined him for 2026. This decision reflects their confidence in his progress and the potential benefits of a non-surgical approach.
Geelong coach Chris Scott addressed Miers’ return against the Lions last week. “I don’t mean to be flippant about it, but he was declared (ready) really early on in the piece,” Scott said after the 41-point win over Brisbane.
Scott highlighted the thorough preparation and feedback from the high-performance team and medical staff. “They wanted to be a bit conservative. There’s a discussion there. They devise a plan and we support it.”
He noted that Miers performed well in slippery conditions at VFL level and looked solid. “It was just a no brainer. He hasn’t missed to much footy so coming back, no matter what your injury, if you’ve got a sore knee, it feels a bit stiff, feels a bit different, wasn’t sure exactly on the performance front.”
Scott concluded by praising Miers’ performance. “We thought he played fantastic tonight. Clean bill of health and played well. It’s a win.”
