The future of shire netball product Abbey McCulloch appears uncertain after the NSW Swifts announced she would take a year off from elite netball to rehabilitate a knee injury.
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An MRI at the end of the 2018 season found additional damage behind McCulloch’s tibia, requiring an extensive period of rest to fully recover.
The 28-year-old’s priority is to focus on her rehab over the next year.
One of the Swifts longest-serving players, McCulloch returned home to NSW and joined the club in 2014 after making her ANZ Championship debut with the Queensland Firebirds.
She was named captain of the Swifts in the Super Netball competition last year.
“In consultation with the coaches, our physio and doctor, I’ve decided that I need to take time away from the court and a daily training environment to get my knee fixed in order to have a chance to play in the future at any level,” McCulloch said.
“I love this group of girls and the club so much and it has been a really difficult decision to make but I have the utmost faith that the Swifts are going to absolutely smash it next year.
“I think this season highlighted the fact that we’re such a tight-knit, supportive family and I know that even by stepping away from them as their leader and team mate, they’re all still in a really good place.
“Thank you to all our Swifts members and fans for supporting me these last five years. These have been the best years of my life and I really hope I’ll get to see you all again.”
Swifts head coach Briony Akle said it had been a tough call for McCulloch to make but believed it was the right one.
“At the end of the day, your health is the most important thing so we need to allow Abbey to take this time off to focus on that,” she said.
“Abbey has been such an influential part of this club for the past five years and with her leadership the NSW Swifts have done incredible things and built something special.
“She has brought passion, confidence and resilience to the team and we wish her all the best for her recovery. She’s so well-loved on and off the court so she will be dearly missed but I know she’ll do bigger and better things in the future.”
