As Daniel Menzel endures another devastating set back, Cats TV raises the question to Tom Lonergan and journalist Scott Gullan, on Argue the Toss, to whether they believe Menzel can return to the field after his fourth knee reconstruction.

Menzel’s shattering injury last weekend went as far as touching the entire AFL community. Since the news was announced on Monday, the admirable 21-one-year old has been inundated with empathetic messages, from both players and personnel around the country.

Fellow teammate, Lonergan, believes Menzel has the aptitude to continue his AFL career and it will be his determination and professionalism that will see him through.

“First and foremost Menz is an ultimate professional, you see him in the gym and he leaves no stone unturned,” Lonergan told Cats TV.

“I think that will hold him in good stead. I think the key to Menz for the next 12 months is obviously finding that balance between footy and things outside, making sure his head’s clear, and as I said he’s an ultimate professional.”

Comparing Menzel’s injury to former Melbourne player, David Schwarz, Gullan also feels confident that Menzel will return. However, like Schwarz, he believes a further investigation needs to be made into the cause of the problem before he undergoes another knee reconstruction.  

“It’s hard to fathom, I mean the kid’s 21, (and he’s about to have his) fourth knee reconstruction,” Gullan said.

“David Schwarz is always the one we go back to, the Melbourne champion, he had three, and his third operation was to find out what was going on in the knee so it wasn’t just a reco. They found out the bone was doing something and they corrected that and he was ok."

“I think with Menz that might be what they’re going to do, they can’t just offer up the traditional reco. I think they’re going to have a proper look at the knee and see what moves and what doesn’t, because that’s his only hope really. It’s sad but you can’t keep going back to the well.”