World Footy News

Port Adelaide's Chinese International recruit, Chen Shaoliang has suffered a serious injury during training with the Port Adelaide Magpies this week.

The 23-year old Team China captain, damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while being tackled at his second only training session with the Magpies.
"While the injury will sideline Chen for 12 months," said Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas, "Chen will remain in Adelaide and he will be immersed in our club for the next two years."

"He will be living with a host family, rehabilitating and training with the Magpies academy squad, studying at UniSA and helping us to promote our game to the large Chinese community here in Adelaide and around Australia."

Chen Shaoliang is expected to under-go traditional reconstructive surgery rather than the quick-fix Lars surgery, but the Power is ruling out finding a replacement Chinese player so Chen will complete the other off-field objectives planned with his two year stay at Alberton. The Advertiser (Adelaide and South Australia's major newspaper) reports that those duties included having a role in the Magpie's SANFL season-opener against Norwood at The Parade last night.(Thursday 24th March)

Meanwhile Josip Habljak, the Croatian International training at Sturt SANFL club has been named in the "seconds" (reserves team) for the clash against West Torrens-Woodville Eagles on Monday at Peter Motley Oval. (on Sturt FC website.) I will try to keep everybody posted on his pending debut, but information can be very short-coming at reserves level for me.

Sadly, Chen Shaoliang's injury news could be described as a 'World Footy News lament' in that 'international' player representation in the SANFL is back to just one before the season even starts.

Main story courtesy 'The Advertiser' Friday 25th March.