Behind every successful football side is a strong team of support staff.
In the case of the NSW Cup Knights, who advanced to the grand final on Sunday, Phil Bosson has been working behind the scenes every step of the way.
As the team’s physiotherapist from Regent Street Physiotherapy, his expertise has benefitted the reserve grade Knights throughout the 2014 season.
Bosson used to play rugby union until his playing days were halted by a knee injury.
“I decided I still wanted to be involved with football, so the best way to do that was through physio,” he said.
Bosson now channels his passion for sport into his work with the players.
In his first year working with the Knights, he’s embraced the opportunity to have a positive impact within the Club and witness real results.
“With a team like the Knights, you get to see the immediate results,” he said.
“Players can get back out there the next weekend and you can be happy with the job that you’ve done to get them back out there.
“The goal is to not only get players back out on the field but to also ensure they can train to the best of their ability.
“If they have a small niggle that’s stopping them from the gym, then they’re not going to get the benefits of the gym for that weekend.
“It can vary from little things affecting the gym or field, to the big ones that are keeping them out for months.
“We treat the whole range.”
As a member of the Regent Street practice, Bosson offers a combination of treatment techniques that may include first aid, prevention knowledge, sports specific musculoskeletal screening, diagnosis and treatment of injuries, hands on therapy, heat and cold applications, electrical modalities and exercise therapy.
This season has seen some major breakthroughs in managing players that have produced overwhelmingly positive results on the field.
One of the success stories from the NSW Cup side this year involved Michael Steel who had been plagued by a hamstring complaint for the last two years, which was subsequently linked to his back.
“This is the first year where we’ve been able to, through working with the Club doctor Neil Halpin, address the issues coming from his back and he played the majority of games this year,” Bosson explained.
Two of the more significant player management cases have come with veterans Timana Tahu and Clint Newton.
“With players who have had 10 plus years of playing a lot of sport have often had a lot of significant injuries that then change the way they run or move,” he explained.
On any given week in the season, Bosson can be found at every NSW Cup training and recovery sessions as well as game days.
“The busiest days are game days when you have to prep players and help with strapping and any treatment prior to the game, then during the game you have to assess and treat the immediate injuries,” he said.
“In conjunction with the doctor you determine whether the players need to go to hospital or if they will be assessed or treatment by us.”
The physiotherapist, has ridden the wave of success with the NSW Cup team and felt his own personal rewards from their commendable season.
“I think everyone has played their own role, and I’d like to hope that I’ve helped people get back for games has had a significant impact on the success they’ve had this year," he said.
The Newcastle University graduate says the best part about belonging to the Regent Street Physiotherapy practice is being a member of a highly experienced team of physiotherapists.
The staff at Regent Street Physiotherapy is highly proficient in treating all sports injuries suffered by athletes from the recreational to the elite level.
In fact, the practice provides care for the Newcastle Netball Association including representative teams, Hurricanes National League, Water Polo Teams, and members of elite level swimming, football, softball, basketball, athletics, rugby union, and triathlon teams.
“Everyone in there covers a sport, from league to swimming, soccer, union and netball, so they get a bit of everything,” Bosson said.
