The Eagles will be without’six or seven’ players as a star faces an extended layoff due to an injury: Casualty Ward
WEST COAST is expected to be without several important players after a disastrous Derby loss to Fremantle on Sunday, including long-term injuries to Jeremy McGovern (hamstring) and Jamie Cripps (ankle).
In addition to McGovern and Cripps, the Dockers were without Luke Shuey (hamstring), Alex Witherden (concussion), Campbell Chesser (knee), and Liam Ryan.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson said that the team will be missing “six or seven players” for this week’s match against Melbourne.
“Liam (Ryan) came back on at different points and was pretty brave… he didn’t do any more damage, we don’t know what (the injury is), it could be five things wrong with Liam,” Simpson told reporters after the game.
“Cripps has a broken ankle and is in the hospital.” McGovern appears to be quite serious. I’m not sure about Shuey right now.
“Witherden is undergoing concussion treatment.” I believe there are some doubts about that, but he did not back down.
“There’s a couple of other boys I won’t talk about, you’ll probably read about it in a couple of days.”
According to Channel 7’s Ryan Daniels, McGovern may have injured his tendon, which would put him out for at least three months, whereas Shuey’s hamstring injury is very minor.
Daniels also revealed Cripps is expected to miss “significant time” and that Ryan’s setback is knee related.
Simpson also stated that Elliot Yeo has a “chance” of returning from a calf injury that has kept him out for the first three rounds, and that Elijah Hewett might be called up into the 22 after being a substitute in his first two AFL games.
Earlier on Sunday, GEELONG suffered another serious blow to its backline when crucial defender Sam De Koning was substituted off after colliding with Gold Coast’s Nick Holman in the head.
Cats coach Chris Scott was unable to provide an update on De Koning’s condition after the game.
“Fortunately — and no one should take this too seriously because they’re all a little different. “But I did get to speak with him, and he said, ‘I’m fine,'” Scott told reporters.
“
I shouldn’t go into too much detail because it’s not my field of study, but there are some instances where the protocols and testing they put themselves through are a complete failure.
“(However), he came together pretty quickly, not good enough to continue playing.”
“He’s symptomatic of something that’s going on with us right now, he’s having a bit of bad luck, he’s just been in the wrong place quite a few times in the last few weeks.”
“Like us collectively, we’ll look after him and make sure we bounce back and he’ll bounce back, too.”
The SUNS suffered a further injury setback as Sam Flanders was substituted out in the third quarter after attempting to play through a knee injury acquired in the second quarter.
Flanders will be scanned on Monday, with the club expected to deliver an update in the coming days.
In other news, COLLINGWOOD will play Brisbane at the Gabba on Thursday night without its two first-choice ruckmen after the club confirmed Darcy Cameron would miss six to eight weeks with an MCL injury, joining Mason Cox (haematoma) and Aiden Begg (back).
Magpies coach Craig McRae conceded to reporters on Monday he’d have to get creative to fill the void, with 19-year old rookie Oscar Steeene the last healthy ruck on the list but seemingly not ready to make his senior debut.
Collingwood will have to consider how to effectively use the likes of Ash Johnson, Dan McStay, and possibly Billy Frampton when they face Oscar McInerney on Thursday night.
“We’re not going to say one person, we’re just going to have to carry the load,” McRae told reporters.
“I enjoy being creative, so we’ll go to the match committee and look at some options.”
“We don’t have another key defender to come in and play that role if (Frampton) goes into the ruck, so that’s why we might have to be a bit creative.”
CARLTON small forward Matt Owies is doubtful for Good Friday’s match against North Melbourne owing to a hamstring injury.
Owies was replaced in the second quarter of the Blues’ triumph over GWS, with Blues coach Michael Voss noting post-match that the degree of the setback was still unknown.
“I’m not sure what grade of tightness Matty has in his hamstring. “We believe it is insignificant,” Voss told reporters.
“We’ll follow due process and get that looked at on Monday.”
