Anderson to make long-awaited return for Torquay

TORQUAY Tigers gun forward Lucas Anderson will play his first game in more than 400 days tomorrow (Saturday, June 28) against Portarlington.

The 2023 Les Ash Medallist runner up has just ticked past 13 months since he had surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.

Anderson’s return will be a huge boost to a young Torquay lineup looking for four wins on the trot.

He said he was excited to get back on the field.

“I’m feeling really good! I’ve taken a fair bit of confidence out of the last few weeks of training and am feeling ready to go.

“It’s been a big grind, but we’ll be right. 400 days is pretty crazy. It doesn’t feel that long. I feel like I can still move around alright, but we will find out tomorrow… definitely confident.

“The support has been amazing over the past 13 months from not only people at the footy club, but people around Torquay.

“It’ll be fun, the sides changed a fair bit in the last 13 months… I’ll try fit in well with the young blokes like Banjo Dyer and Will Montebello who are running the show now.”

Anderson has bagged 165 goals in the yellow and black since coming over from St Josephs at the end of the 2019 season.

His biggest haul was 86 goals during the club’s 2023 premiership season.

Tigers coach Dom Gleeson said the club was rapt to have a very invested Anderson back in the lineup.

“We are beyond excited!

“Lucas and I, along with others have made a really strong connection since he came down.

“What I love about him is that he is totally invested along with his wife Larns and his two boys. It’s so great to see their investment in the club and the community.

“Footy means a hell of a lot to him and his kids, I can’t wait to see him run out.”