Dan Hannebery has lifted the lid on his decision to renegotiate the terms of his deal with St Kilda in an effort to help the club recoup a chunk of their salary cap.
The injury ravaged Saint has only managed 13 games in a red, white and black guernsey since crossing from the Swans at the completion of the 2018 season.
A recent bout of soft tissue complaints have halted Hannebery from adding to his total at any stage this year.
Speaking with Peter Ryan of The Age, the midfielder explained that his decision to play for less next season was an acknowledgement that his on-field output had not warranted to terms of the rich-deal he inked prior to 2019.
“It has no doubt been the most frustrating two or three years of my career. It has been incredibly challenging,” Hannebery told Ryan.
“I just thought it was the right timing and the right thing to do, given the reality of where my situation lies.
“I am very accepting and understanding of the situation. I haven’t played anywhere near the footy that I have wanted to play, and they are in the same boat. They would have wanted me to play a lot more than I have and have more of an impact.”
With the form that saw him claim a premiership medallion and a trifecta of All-Australian blazers now realistically behind him, Hannebery explained that although he was still working as hard as ever to aide his second-home, his efforts had left him fatigued.
“I had been busting my arse and doing everything and thought ‘this has just been exhausting. I am mentally cooked,’ ” Hannebery said.
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Ryan held the belief that Hannebery may have in fact been working too hard to rectify his series of ailments and in doing so, had aggravated others.
Despite the obvious frustration he felt in agreeing with the scribe, the 2010 Rising Star winner wanted St Kilda fans to understand that he had left no stone unturned in an effort to get back on the park.
“At St Kilda, I have taken it to the next level at different stages,” Hannebery said.
“After training I would try to find other avenues, whether it be yoga, pilates, movement, DNS training (otherwise known as dynamic neuromuscular stabilisation), acupuncture, whatever it is I’ve been trying to work overtime to bridge the gap or find any area I can improve to give myself a chance to get back quick. Whether it be diet or sleep ... all these different things I have been hammering away at for a while.”
With the former Swan suffering another injury just prior to returning before the bye this season, Hannebery explained that it was a change in mindset that allowed him to start recovering once more.
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“Although spending a lot of your free time working on your body and trying to find ways to get better comes from a really good place, it actually almost creates more stress and anxieties, I guess, because you are trying to do everything you can possibly right,” he said.
“You put yourself under more pressure and then when things go don’t go to plan and you get setback after setback, it’s incredibly disheartening.”
After stringing together some sound performances for the Saints' VFL affiliate Sandringham, Hannebery holds hopes that he can return to Brett Ratten's senior side for the final fortnight of the season.
Still, the Xavier College alumni was of the belief that just being out there was not enough - he still holds the fervent desire to return to his best and help add to the relatively empty trophy cabinet at Linton Street.
“I’m investing 100 per cent. I want to try to finish my career playing some bloody good footy,” Hannebery stated.
Hannebery won't lace the boots for the Saints clash against his former side this Saturday night, but if his plans to return to the fold follow their timeline, then the veteran will play his 14th and 15th games for the Moorabbin club against Geelong and Fremantle respectively.
