Source Daily Telegraph
Tevita Tatola was told to get his head around the fact that there was a real possibility his career was over.
The news coming from the North Shore office of his surgeon David Carmody rocked Tatola, who struggled to get his head around the idea that an innocuous incident could finish his career at just 27.
It would take Tatola five months to walk again after two surgeries and a battle with an infection to the wound.
Now on the comeback trail, Tatola sat down with Michael Carayannis at the club’s Maroubra headquarters to outline the anguish and uncertainty he has faced since last putting his boots on in round six last year.
Souths star Tevita Tatola has opened up on his injury hell and the five month battle to walk again. Picture: NRL Photos
THE MOMENT
Tatola’s 2023 season was plagued by a knee injury. But, fresh from a good off-season, he was primed to regain his mantle as one of the game’s best props in 2024.
That positivity would last just six games before he limped from the field after 14 minutes against Cronulla at Accor Stadium.
“I was literally jogging across the field and I felt my bone snap in my foot,” Tatola said. “There was no contact. My foot just cracked.
“From there I knew straight away there was something wrong with my foot. I played about another 12 minutes but I was hobbling around and one of the trainers noticed me and I said I had to get off because I couldn’t run properly.”
The moment Tatola was forced off the field in round six 2024.
ROLLERCOASTER
Tatola was facing a long stretch on the sideline.
Initially the doctors were hoping he would be back for the end of the regular season. He had surgery just days after the injury with doctors repairing his fifth metatarsal in his foot.
Tatola continued to work out in the gym because he wanted to stay fit and prepare for the prospect of playing some part in a potential South Sydney finals charge.
But that all changed during a regulation six-week check-up.
A scan of Tevita Tatola's first foot surgery. Picture: Supplied.
“It wasn’t healing,” Tatola said.
“The surgeon wanted to assess me in another six weeks to see if it would heal.”
It was during that appointment that Tatola’s world was rocked.
“The surgeon broke that news that there was a chance that it wouldn’t heal,” he said.
“When they told me that it was confronting and hard to take. I was more shocked … I didn’t take it on board.
“It was when I got home that it started kicking in. I got emotional. I never thought something as small as this would get even close to a career-ending injury.”
CONFRONTING NEWS
Tatola was told to wait another six weeks before the medical staff decided what to do with him. During that time he struggled mentally.
“I remember the first three or four weeks after the first surgery I was on the couch or in bed watching movies,” Tatola said.
“There are only so many movies you can watch. I was losing my mind.
“I had gone from moving around every day to doing nothing. It played some mind games. I had a few demons that I had to go through.
“It was the most challenging time of my life. This injury got me down, especially hearing it could be a career-ending injury. It’s the toughest thing I’ve heard in my career.
“The lowest moment was probably being emotional. I don’t like to show my emotions even to my family. I tried to keep that to myself.
“When they weren’t around and I was home by myself – those were the lowest times. I was by myself and I had that head noise of not being able to play anymore.
“I wasn’t sure if it was going to heal. That was the lowest time that I had to go through.
“Talking to someone would’ve helped massively if I did reach out. At that time and the head space I had, I didn’t want to talk to anyone.”
Tevita Tatola's injury hell
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Inside Tevita Tatola's five month battle to walk again
LIFE CHANGING
Three months after the original surgery Tatola was under the knife again. This time he had a bone graft and osteotomy on his right foot.
“They rearranged the bone where my pinky toe is to make sure I take some load off it for when I started walking and running,” Tatola said.
“That first six weeks it showed a little bit of healing but not as much, it was quite slow.
“After the second surgery they saw it was healing with the bone graft and that’s when they thought there was a chance (I could play again).
“They were confident it would heal and get back to normal.
“That was the time where they told me it would be slow, don’t get hopes up, but there is some progress that they were happy with. When the surgeon said that I was stoked.”
X-rays of Tevita Tatola's second foot surgery. Picture: Supplied.
X-rays of Tevita Tatola's second foot surgery. Picture: Supplied.
Basic life chores were too demanding.
He couldn’t drive, couldn’t walk and couldn’t shower unassisted.
Tatola was also struggling to come to terms with being unable to play with his three-year-old son Mateo, with his partner Shannon forced to carry the load.
“I had no weight on my foot for seven months,” Tatola, who bought a non-motorised scooter to help him get around, said.
“I had to use a crutch to get into the shower and I had to sit on a seat. The shower is small and there was a little step. It was hard to squeeze in with a chair too.
“This whole year my boy has always wanted me to pick him up and play with him. But it’s been hard because I haven’t even been able to change a nappy.
“I don’t like to rely on other people.
“It was hard for me to ask people all the time to help me with things. The injury wasn’t healing but the wound outside was getting infected so I had to keep it covered up most of the time.”
Tatola opened up on the pain of not being able to look after or play with his three-year-old son Mateo.
Tatola opened up on the pain of not being able to look after or play with his three-year-old son Mateo.
THE ROAD BACK
Tatola had to learn how to walk again. First it was with the assistance of a moon boot before being able to put weight on his foot for the first time in October.
“The first step I took was when the boys had already finished their season,” Tatola said.
“It wasn’t even full weight bearing but it was a little win. Walking wasn’t natural. I struggled a lot. The physios were giving me simple exercises that were just walking over a hurdle.
“I was struggling and getting frustrated because I couldn’t do it. They were reassuring me it was going to get better, it would just take a bit of time.”
Tatola has returned to Rabbitohs training and running. Picture: Supplied.
And the star forward is targeting a round one 2025 return.
In December, Tatola ran on the Ultra-G machine and has done so twice a week. He is looking to hit the field by late January and is optimistic about his chances to play in round one.
“Strength wise, my leg is fine, my foot is fine,” Tatola said.
“I’ve been doing a lot of strengthening exercises and there’s been no pain. Everything is tracking pretty well. I’m thinking round one but the physios are saying that’s pushing it.
“I can’t wait to play. I’m looking forward to carrying that ball and going non-stop. It’s been doing my head in.”
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