AFL injuries Round 18: Who’s hurt and who’s back for every AFL club
GRAPHIC WARNING: It was one of the worst-looking injuries of the year. Young Pie Isaac Quaynor’s leg was torn to shreds by an opponent’s metal studs. While we all looked away, the Rising Star nominee explains why he had the opposite reaction.
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Every online story about Isaac Quaynor’s gruesome leg gash last month carried a “GRAPHIC CONTENT” warning — as this one does.
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An opponent’s metal studs slashed open the Collingwood defender’s right leg in a freak accident in Round 10, with an image of the cut quickly finding its way to social media and causing squeamish stomachs around the country.
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But in the ambulance in the bowels of the Gabba, Quaynor was not trying to look away from the image.
In fact, it was quite the opposite.
“I don’t get too shaken up by all that gruesome stuff,” Quaynor said.
“What really gets me is when people do their knees or their shoulders pop out. That’s the stuff I can’t watch, but the cut itself, I was actually sitting in the ambulance just staring into my leg. It was like an anatomy session in science. It was actually pretty interesting.”
Luckily for Quaynor, the gash was a “clean cut” and a plastic surgeon fixed it up with “one long continuing stitch”.
After missing just three games he was back on the field to continue a second season of growth as a player.
The 20-year-old had played four AFL games late last season, before being struck down with a foot injury.
Hip surgery over summer made for a delayed pre-season and an AFL call up did not come until Round 6 this year, but aside from the injury Quaynor has not missed a game since.
His 17-disposal, seven-mark game against Gold Coast Suns on Monday night was statistically the best performance of his short career and led to a well-earned NAB AFL Rising Star nomination.
“The start of the season didn’t go the way I wanted it to in regards to selection but I kept trying to put my hand up each week in those scratch matches,” Quaynor said.
“I was probably just lacking in confidence not backing in my ability. Once I started getting a few games under my belt again I just started to feel a lot more confident.”
Collingwood locked in a finals spot with its win over the Suns and Quaynor is now eyeing his first finals match in two weeks’ time.
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He plans to lean on Captain Scott Pendlebury for some advice, with his skipper having had 23 games of finals experience.
“He’s played more finals than I have games at this point, so I’ve got some work to do,” Quaynor said.
“It’s probably a different finals set up this year. It’s not going to be the usual potential final at the MCG with 80,000 people. It’s probably going to be a little bit more enclosed and a little bit more different to what we’re used to in a sense. But I’m pretty stoked to hopefully play in a finals game.”
DAN THE MAN TO ‘LIKELY’ RETURN FOR SAINTS
St Kilda is preparing to unleash Dan Hannebery for Friday night’s match against GWS Giants, declaring his return a risk worth considering.
Saints coach Brett Ratten said the 29-year-old was “more likely than unlikely” to play against the Giants in what would be his first match since Round 5.
Hannebery took full part in Wednesday’s main 90-minute training session at Maroochydore, his first team session since leaving the AFL quarantine hub on Tuesday.
The Saints are confident his diligent rehab from hamstring tendon surgery will allow him to slot back into a side needing a win to guarantee its first finals spot since 2011.
Hannebery looms as a straight swap for midfielder Zak Jones, who suffered a hamstring strain in last round’s match against West Coast.
“We’ll sit down as a match committee this afternoon and have a look at his numbers,” Ratten said after Tuesday’s session.
“He’s done everything. He’s an experienced campaigner that plays well in big games.
“He’s been out for a while, but to have the availability to pick him – it’s something we really strongly will consider.
“But we want to do the right thing by the team. He’s done everything he needs to. We’ll sit down with the medicos and go through it in more detail, but I would say he’s more likely than unlikely.”
Jake Carlisle and Dylan Roberton are also in the mix to return, with the Saints to settle on their starting line-up later on Wednesday.
The Saints will weigh up the risk and reward of playing Hannebery just three days after leaving the AFL quarantine hub, where he spent a fortnight training with Shane Edwards and Gary Ablett.
“It’s a risk, but (potentially) a risk worth taking,” Ratten said.
BIG BLOW TO SAINTS’ FINALS PARADE
Zak Jones will miss St Kilda’s huge Friday night clash against GWS.
After impressing for so much of 2020 but only to slip with three losses in their last four the Saints need to defeat the out-of-form Giants on Friday night to secure a finals spot for the first time in nine-years.
Brett Ratten’s side sit in seventh on percentage, and a game in front of Melbourne and GWS, but in a blow for the Saints former Sydney midfielder Jones will sit out the big clash against the Giants.
St Kilda Chief Operating Officer Simon Lethlean said Jones reported hamstring soreness following the Saints Round 17 loss to West Coast and scans revealed it was a minor strain.
“Zak has become an important part of our midfield this year but we know that all teams are dealing with injuries to key players and we will need someone to step up and fill the void,” Lethlean said.
“We will weigh up the best option to replace Zak and trust whoever does come in to do the job.”
STAR EAGLE AVOID SURGERY
West Coast lost has lost four-time All-Australian Jeremy McGovern with a hamstring strain, but is confident the star interceptor will be back for finals.
McGovern has avoided having to go under the knife for the injury and Eagles general manager of football Craig Vozzo said with the finals series to start on October 1 the star defender could be back in time.
“Big Gov, he was playing so well prior to the hamstring on the weekend. Fortunately, when all the scans came back we avoided the surgery, which was great, but he’s still looking at a significant hamstring strain,” he said.
“He’s probably looking at a three-to-four week period but tracking really well. Early signs are good, moving around quite well already and we’re on the up.”
Midfielders Luke Shuey (hamstring), Elliot Yeo (groin), Jack Redden (thumb) and Mark Hutchings (hamstring) are also targeting the Eagles’ first final.
Lewis Jetta (calf) is expected to be fine for the first final.
Dom Sheed and Brendon Ah Chee should be available for the Eagles Thursday night clash against North Melbourne.
Originally published as AFL injuries Round 18: Who’s hurt and who’s back for every AFL club