Zabaks recovering well at home

What looked to be concussion after being involved in a fifty-fifty challenge with Manly United youngster Jimmy Oates turned out to be worse than what it was as after a second trip to the hospital that evening the 26-year-old suffered a fractured skull and discovered that a blood clot covered a third of his brain.
Immediate surgery was needed in stopping the blood clot which was successfully handled by doctors at the St George Hospital much to the delight of his family and friends.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles assistant coach and father-in-law Cliff Pointer was one relieved man after hearing the news of Phillip?s return home and spoke to Football NSW on how the custodian was travelling.
?It was a huge sigh of relief for everyone associated with Phillip that he was going to be ok after what has been a very tough week for many.
?He is a tough character and pulled through but I want to thank the doctors at St George Hospital first as they were nothing short of brilliant.
?Phillip arrived back home on Wednesday and has been catching up on sleep but he?s been told by the doctors to take it very easy.
?He will have to go back to the hospital in six weeks for another scan but you can already tell his motivation and determination in getting back to his old self.?
A saving grace for the gloveman on that unfortunate evening was that of the quick reaction of his wife Brooke (Cliff Pointer?s daughter) who was at Phillip?s side from the first moment this unfortunate incident occurred.
?She amazed me how she reacted on that night.
?It?s amazing how things work in life. Three weeks ago she was signing marriage papers then she was signing consent forms on Phillip having brain surgery.
?She drove him straight to the hospital after he lost feeling to his right arm as well as having very bad headaches.
?She?s certainly been a tower of strength for him.?
Pointer stated that he was grateful of all the support the club, his family, friends, players and Football NSW have been to Zabaks.
?The management at the Bonnyrigg White Eagles have been nothing short of sensational.
?They?ve come to see him on a number of occasions and have given him lots of support as have the players from the squad who have been there for him.
?It?s also been fantastic to see players from other club?s showering Phillip with well wishes and also yourself at Football NSW, he has really appreciated this.
?I know that these are the words Phillip wanted to replicate to everyone that have assisted him through this tough time.?
On the playing front known to many as a very talented goalkeeper the question was asked to Pointer on whether Phillip would don the gloves once more.
?He was jokingly saying to the lads the other day that he was going to see them at training this week but at this stage he wants to focus on getting better and seeing how he feels from there on.
?It would be logically to state that he of course won?t play this year but I know he wants to put on those gloves as soon as possible, we will all just have to wait and see how he recovers.
“I know that he wants to watch the boys this week against Rockdale so we will wait to see how he feels on whether he can do this but he is charged to see his team in action again.”
-By Mark Stavroulakis