Last Saturday, despite South Melbourne’s defeat to Bentleigh Greens in the Community Shield, one man on the pitch may have been slightly less frustrated with the game than his teammates.
Because despite the disappointing result, the contest marked more vital minutes on the pitch for Kristian Konstantinidis in his return from an ankle injury that wiped out his 2015 campaign.
It was a cruel blow, because having just signed for the league premiers he had little time to make an impression, playing three league games before being forced onto the sidelines for 10 months.
Despite the defeat, Konstantindis says pre-season was a better time than ever for him and his side to shake off the rust.
“It was good to get back on the park in my first competitive game,” Konstantinidis said.
“I played a full 90 minutes in Sydney which was good to get under my belt, it’s good to get out there and be amongst the boys again, obviously a disappointing result with how the game went but better it happen now than during the year.”
The 23-year-old admits the journey back to full fitness has been as much a mental battle as a physical one, having to sit and watch as the club experienced the highs and lows of 2015, including an FFA Cup penalty shootout defeat to Palm Beach Sharks, Dockerty Cup triumph, and an NPL Premiership but a Grand Final defeat to Bentleigh – a recent bogey side.
“As a result of the injury I believe everything happens for a reason, I’ve come out stronger from it,” Konstantinidis said.
“Being injured in football is the worst time of your life, you’re really depressed, you’re out there watching the boys do what you want to be doing but you can’t do it.
“So it was a tough fight mentally, but building on that has made me stronger mentally and physically and it’s good to be finally out there, I’ve been itching to go all pre-season and hopefully it’s behind me now.”
The former Melboure Heart youth team member had previously struggled through injury battles – having overcome osteitis pubis in 2013, he famously had his nose broken in a collision with Melbourne Knights’ Sam Torrens not long after his return.
The reward for bravery was an against the odds championship triumph for Northcote City, with the defender playing a key role in the triumphant side.
Yet a Northcote curse seems to have also befallen him and fellow defender Adrian Chiapetta following their departures to South Melbourne and Oakleigh in 2015 respectively, with the latter suffering a season-ending knee injury; an ailment which seems to have been aggravated in 2016 and forcing the Cannons to leave him off their team roster.
Meanwhile, Konstantinidis hopes patience and hard work on the sidelines will also pay dividends at Lakeside, with he and his teammates raring to go and put the Community Shield defeat – along with the demons of last year’s Grand Final defeat – behind them.
“We’ve got a great squad, no doubt about it,” he said.
“In 2013 [at Northcote] we had two players that could play in every position and it’s the same here.
“I think it’s a different group of lads but as a same time and I know all the boys and I knew them before I got here, and everybody’s hungry for success.
“The quality of the squad is definitely good and quite deep, it’s going to be a good long season as there’s lots of football to be played.”
The opportunity to kickstart the season for South Melbourne comes today, but it won’t be easy as the side takes on traditional rivals Heidelberg United in a blockbuster opening round derby.
