For Sydney United 58 midfielder Glen Trifiro, a grand final victory will be worth much more than silverware.
Victory against Rockdale would cap off what has been an incredible recovery for the veteran playmaker, who at the start of this season was unable to walk after suffering a serious ligament tear in his ankle during the final round of the 2019 season.
He was forced to watch on from the sidelines as his United 58 side suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 loss at the hands of APIA in last season’s decider.
However, the disappointment of grand final defeat would not compare to the struggles faced by Trifiro during his six-month recovery which he says completely changed his outlook on the game and life.
“At first I didn’t think the injury was that bad and it wasn’t until after my surgery that it dawned on me how serious the whole situation was,” he said.
“The biggest wake-up call for me was realising how quickly everything can be taken away from you.
“I run a football academy so I need to be on my feet all day coaching kids. This injury hit me harder off the pitch than it did on it as for a good few months my everyday life was flipped upside down.”
The thought of returning to the pitch with Sydney United 58 was secondary for the veteran playmaker instead his focus was set on returning to work at the Futboltec Academy he runs with his brother Jason Trifiro.
Without the luxury of being able to commit to a full rehabilitation schedule, Trifiro said he just did whatever he could to get his body right as quickly as possible.
“As a semi-professional player you can’t afford to spend months in rehab and getting yourself back to peak fitness,” he said.
“You have work and family and other commitments which need to take priority and that is exactly what the case was for me.
“I just did whatever bits and pieces I needed to do which would let me get back on my feet and back to work.”
Trifiro returned to the pitch in March and admitted the forced COVID shutdown of the league allowed him extra time to get his body right.
The man known as Tricky has since gone on to have one of his best season’s for United 58 and is determined to make it a historic campaign for the club he has called home for over a decade.
“It has been a crazy season but this is a great group of players and it has shown with the way they have given everything this year to get the club to another grand final,” he said.
“Over the years this club has had success winning everything from premierships to national titles but the one which has evaded us is a grand final win.
“It would mean so much to the club to lift the trophy and I would love to help them achieve that.”
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