Former Collingwood forward Lee Walker urges Daniel Menzel never to give up chasing his dream Geelong forward Daniel Menzel has vowed to fight back after a fourth knee reconstruction. Picture: Leanne Churchill Source: Geelong Advertiser FORMER Collingwood forward Lee Walker, who endured four knee reconstructions in a luckless AFL career, has urged Geelong's Daniel Menzel to keep chasing his dreams. But Walker insisted Menzel should also start planning for life outside of the game - just in case. "I feel shattered for him because of how much work goes into coming back from one reco, let alone three," Walker said. My advice to Daniel is to give it one more crack as well as seriously preparing himself for life after football, in case it doesn't work. He has a big challenge ahead of him and can certainly come back if he does everything the rehab process requires. Menzel, 21, suffered his fourth serious knee injury in his VFL comeback game 11 days ago. Last night he tweeted he "will never give up as it means everything to me." Menzel, who has played 21 games for the Cats, is yet to decide whether he will have a traditional reconstruction or LARS surgery. Walker's career was cut short by injuries to both knees, and he had four reconstructions and six arthroscopes. He played 16 games with Collingwood in five interrupted seasons - and none from an earlier two-year stint with West Coast. At one stage, the tendons of a young man killed in a motorcycle accident were transplanted into his knee. "I really felt for the kid (Menzel) when he went down, but that is the pressure of the game," he said. Walker does not regret making repeated attempts to overcome his issues. Importantly, he wants Menzel to know he has no long-term ramifications. "There isn't a day that goes by that I think what could have been, but life is good when you look at the big picture," Walker said. I am with the Fire and Rescue (in Perth), so I have to be physically ready for anything. I still surf and run and mountain bike nearly every day. Walker, 40, said he was prepared to speak with Menzel if the young Cat needed a chat or advice. "Of course I would, but I think the club would have him covered for support," Walker said. We are all in the game because of our love of it, so I'd be happy to have a coffee to talk him through how I dealt with it.