South Adelaide has added Sam Overall to its list of injured players ahead of a crucial weekend in the SANFL
ALREADY down several players due to injury, South Adelaide lost a key forward to a knee complaint during Saturday’s victory over Glenelg.
SOUTH Adelaide has been hit by more injury worries with key forward Sam Overall in serious doubt for the crucial clash against Glenelg at the Bay on Saturday.
Overall damaged his knee in the impressive win over Central District in Noarlunga on Saturday, snapping a five-game losing streak, and was on crutches after the game. He will have scans on the knee.
The Panthers are optimistic defender Tarak Redigolo will front the Tigers despite being stretchered from the ground in the first quarter after a heavy clash with team-mate Jake Veide.
Already without classy midfielder Brede Seccull after he had surgery on a finger tendon, the Panthers lost Xavier Gotch for the Bulldogs battle because of a groin injury. Gotch is expected to play this week.
“Tarak was up and about after the game so he might be OK for this week,” Panthers chief executive Neill Sharpe said yesterday. “The effort against Central was a lot better for longer. Having (Adam) Gulden and Veide back helped, they added a bit of experience back into the team.
“It will be an important game for both football clubs on Saturday. Every game is vital for the rest of the year with the tightness of the ladder.”
The Panthers climbed to fifth on the ladder, just percentage above the Tigers and Adelaide with only six rounds remaining.
Tigers coach Matthew Lokan labelled the game a final for his club.
Sturt will regain tough onballer Aidan Riley for its pursuit of a ninth successive win when it takes on ladder-leading Woodville-West Torrens in Woodville on Sunday.
Aidan missed the win over North Adelaide in Unley on Saturday due to minor hamstring tightness.
The Eagles are highly unlikely to regain gun forward Michael Wundke and Jared Petrenko, both sidelined with serious ankle injuries for the past three weeks. Small forward Lachlan McGregor is a strong chance to return from a calf problem, but ruckman Marc Borholm is still at least two weeks from resuming after being sidelined with a knee injury.
“Wundke and Petrenko are a chance to play this week but we’d say unlikely,” Eagles coach Michael Godden said. “There is no way we will be taking risks with them, so if they don’t train at 100 per cent every session we won’t play them.
“They should be back training this week, along with McGregor and Borholm.
“We have got to time it (their return) now. We have put ourselves in a very good position in terms of wins and losses and those guys are important to us where we want to go. We don’t have to take risks.”
The Eagles started the game against West Adelaide in Richmond on Saturday with an inexperienced midfield, including debutant Jackson Lee.