AFL injury latest: All the news, updates ahead of Round 10
St Kilda veteran Jake Carlisle is facing an uncertain future, after the defender was forced to undergo back surgery that looks all but certain to have ended his season.
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Jake Carlisle’s season is almost certainly over after back surgery, with the veteran having to pin his hopes on another one-year contract at St Kilda after only four games this year.
Former Bomber Carlisle will have surgery to relieve pressure on a bone pressing on his spine, having not played since Round 6 with lingering soreness.
Carlisle played an excellent final in the win over the Western Bulldogs last year but then left the hub for the birth of his child on the Victoria-NSW border.
This year he has been used sparingly as a key back, often pinch-hitting forward and in the ruck in his four AFL games.
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At his best he is an excellent intercept marking defender and he only turns 30 on October 1.
But he will have to wait until late in the year for a decision on his future given the Saints will continue to play Dougal Howard, Cal Wilkie, James Frawley and Tom Highmore ahead of him.
St Kilda chief operating officer Simon Lethlean said on Friday Carlisle would have surgery which will sideline him for an “extended period”.
But he had similar back surgery in 2019 and only returned to the senior team for Round 14.
“We’ve been working with Jake on treatment plans, however his level of day-to-day pain and restriction of movement has gotten to a point where lumbar disc surgery is the best option,” he said.
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“The delicate nature of spinal injuries means it’s pretty hard to put a timeline on recovery.
“Our doctors and physios will work with Jake throughout his rehab, and we’ll monitor his progress.
“While it’s a disappointing outcome, Jake’s long-term health and overall wellbeing is paramount.”
The Saints are aware Zak Jones’ quad tendon surgery could easily put him out for 12 weeks given the seriousness of that injury.
And Rowan Marshall is set for more than a month on the sidelines after plantar fascia surgery.
Dan Hannebery continues to make methodical recovery from his latest calf injury and isn’t far off full training but the club is understandably cautious about his progress.
Fixture quirk keeps Ugle-Hagan sidelined
A fixture quirk will mean Jamarra Ugle-Hagan plays only one quarter of football in a month as Tim English’s chances of taking on Max Gawn’s Melbourne next Friday night appear over.
No.1 overall pick Ugle-Hagan will be denied another chance to press his AFL claims due to a VFL fixture that means he will miss two weekends with a low-level concussion.
Hagan will play no football this week after a concussion in a VFL game which fell on a Sunday.
The Dogs VFL side had a bye last week but their VFL side plays tonight against Frankston.
It means he had no opportunity to be passed fit for the second weekend under the 12-day concussion protocols.
If the Dogs had played VFL on Saturday he would have been able to take the field.
Ugle-Hagan pulled up well from the early concussion against Carlton’s VFL side but was never in consideration for the senior side, which plays on Saturday, meaning he will play no football this week.
He will return against Melbourne next Sunday in the VFL, meaning he will have played only a quarter of football in a month between May 1 and May 30.
St Kilda star Brad Crouch said on Wednesday players were increasingly worried about reporting concussions because they would miss the following week and be denied selection.
The Dogs again overlooked star ruckman English for their clash against St Kilda on Saturday as he continues his slow build after a heavy concussion.
English progressed to some contact training on Thursday but now must build up his conditioning after missing the past three games.
It means even if he was passed medically fit to take on Melbourne in the clash of the 2021 titans next Friday night he would unlikely be ready given his base fitness.
It means the Bulldogs will go into that clash with only young ruckman Jordan Sweet, who continues to make a good fist of his recent chances with Stef Martin also out injured.
The Dogs are salivating at the prospect of young 202cm ruck-forward Sam Darcy – son of Luke – joining them as a father-son as he roars up the draft boards.
The Bulldogs had hoped he might be a first-round selection but he is being touted as such an impressive package he could even be a top-two pick.
It begs the question how the Dogs will fit him into their structure given English is a star on the rise and the Dogs cannot fit Ugle-Hagan into their side.
But the Oakleigh Chargers tall can also play key forward just as young third-year talls Ben and Max King, also 202cm, have been slotted in as key forwards rather than ruckmen.
He has been around the club over summer but not as much as Ugle-Hagan in the previous year, who was regularly at Whitten Oval as a Next Generation Academy teen.
The Dogs will be hopeful he can spend his early seasons developing and then be perfectly placed to take over from Martin as the second-ruck behind English.
English is contracted until the end of 2022 and as a West Australian will have massive offers from WA clubs, especially as Nic Naitanui is reaching the end of his career.
But he has bought property in Melbourne and seems genuinely happy on the east coast.
The Dogs will be keen to lock him into a long-term deal well before he gets to the end of 2022.
The bigger issue will be compensating him in the same year as Bailey Smith comes out of contract, with Marcus Bontempelli to sign a long-term free agency deal this year.
His good mate, Aaron Naughton, who has been his flatmate in recent years, is signed away to 2024.
Hospitalised Pie shares update, health message
Collingwood forward Mason Cox revealed on Wednesday night he was “all good” after he was taken to hospital following an earlier incident on the training track.
Cox took to social media to provide a short update on his condition alongside a photograph of himself during his ambulance ride to hospital.
The Magpies big man had been assessed by club doctors for a potential throat injury, with an ambulance called to the club’s Olympic Park base.
“Uber surcharges were through the roof today!” Cox posted.
“Thanks for all the kind messages and calls. I’m all good.
“Great reminder today though about all the amazing people working in healthcare and their sacrifices over the last year and a half.”
Onlookers said the American had looked in good spirits and was able to walk himself into the ambulance after the training incident.
Uber surcharges were through the roof today!
— Mason Cox (@masonsixtencox) May 19, 2021
Thanks for all the kind messages and calls. I’m all good.
Great reminder today though about all the amazing people working in healthcare and their sacrifices over the last year and a half. â¤ï¸ https://t.co/BAAgis7HSXpic.twitter.com/8UEX4NX5J0
“He just got a knock to the throat, so he’s been taken to hospital as a precaution,” a Collingwood spokesperson told the Herald Sun.
“Once we get more details we’ll let everyone know.”
It is unclear how Cox sustained the injury on the track.
The 30-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has not played at AFL level since being dropped after a Round 4 clash against Greater Western Sydney.
However, he kicked two goals from nine disposals in the VFL against Sydney last weekend.
Cox missed five matches at the end of the 2019 season after suffering a freak eye injury which required three rounds of surgery.
He was rendered effectively legally blind after receiving a poke to his left eye against Gold Coast Suns in Round 20 that year, the incident resulting in a torn retina.
Cox played 11 AFL games in 2020 for a return of 14 goals, including a haul of three majors to help spearhead an elimination final win over West Coast in Perth.
Will big Blue Harry face Hawks?
Carlton has declared spearhead Harry McKay a definite starter for Saturday’s clash against Hawthorn after experiencing shoulder soreness last round.
McKay received a knock to his right shoulder early in the first quarter of the Blues’ loss to Melbourne, but returned to the field later in the term to play out the match.
The Blues forward went on to kick three goals against the Demons to extend his lead in the Coleman Medal race to six goals.
Carlton director of high performance Andrew Russell said McKay had pulled up well from the match and was expected to take his place in the side against the Hawks at the MCG.
“As you saw on the weekend, Harry did have some shoulder soreness and (we’re) pleased to report that he has pulled up well and he will definitely play this week,” Russell said.
McKay’s availability is a relief for Carlton’s attack, which could also welcome back Jack Silvagni from concussion. The Blues said Silvagni was available for selection after following the AFL’s 12-day concussion protocol.
Jack Martin faces a fitness test on Thursday after recovering from the PCL injury he suffered in Round 2.
“He’s had a heavy training phase the last two weeks and he’ll train Thursday and we’ll make a decision whether he plays this week or whether we hold him over for the week after,” Russell said.
And the Blues are hopeful forward Charlie Curnow could return to some aspects of the club’s ball program next week.
“He is running really well and is doing some pretty high level running sessions at the moment, he is doing change of direction and kicking work,” Russell said.
“Next week, he’ll be in some elements of the ball program and then we’ll progress him back to full training.
“He needs as long as he needs to be ready to play, but we are pretty excited and pretty optimistic we are going to see him out there this season.”
Are players hiding head knocks?
St Kilda midfielder Brad Crouch has revealed some AFL players are deliberately hiding head knocks from club doctors so they don’t risk missing matches under the league’s new 12-day concussion protocols.
Crouch has little doubt some players are doing their best to mask minor issues with head knocks, confessing only when they can’t hide their issues.
He suffered a head knock in the third quarter of last Friday’s clash with Geelong, but did own up to the club doctor. He passed a concussion test, which allowed him to return to the field.
The Saints’ high-priced recruit ended up having surgery on Sunday to help repair a depressed fracture of the cheekbone, but is confident he will be right to take on the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
When asked if some players were masking head knocks in order to not be impacted by the new protocols, Crouch said on RSN: “With the concussion rules, I think some players wouldn’t be telling them (doctors) … no.”
“I think there would be players out there who are going ‘I am not going to risk missing time’.
“You miss the next week now, if you get concussed. I think a lot of players would be pretty worried about that.
“They don’t want to miss the next week, especially for players who are in a form slump, or on the edges of selection, or have big games coming up, for instance finals.
“It’s a really hard one … unless it is really obvious and they get knocked out, there are going to be times when players won’t put their hands up.”
The AFL introduced new 12-day concussion rules this year, which is double the previous break.
But some medical experts would prefer to see this stretched out to 30 days.
Crouch had little choice but to tell the medical staff of his problem last week, but also knew he wasn’t concussed.
“When it first happened, it hurt a bit and I had to go down and have a concussion test, which is a bit annoying,” he said on RSN.
“I knew I wasn’t concussed, (but) I had to do the right thing and tell the doctor and say I had had a knock.
“It cost us a bit, we were two (players) down for a bit, which was a bit frustrating.”
Crouch is confident he can prove his fitness in order to take on the might of the Bulldogs’ midfield at Marvel Stadium.
“It’s not too bad,” he said of the injury. “I had a little (bit of) surgery on Sunday morning. I had a depressed cheekbone.”
“I got it all fixed on Sunday and should be right to play this week.”
Carlton’s fears confirmed
Speedy Carlton midfielder David Cuningham will miss the rest of the season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the loss to Melbourne on Sunday.
The Blues on Monday confirmed Cuningham had ruptured his left ACL when he crumpled to the turf on the wing in the opening minutes of the game.
It is a terrible blow for the Blues and the emerging ball winner who had been a shining light for the club since forcing his way back into the team in Round 6 this year.
He had 25 possessions and two goals in the win over Essendon in his second game back to show he belonged at senior level after playing 40 AFL games across five-and-a-half seasons.
Cuningham will join Jack Martin (knee), Zac Fisher (ankle) and Mitch McGovern (hamstring) on the sidelines as the Blues attempt to resuscitate their season against Hawthorn on Saturday at the MCG.
The Blues were clear they expected to make finals this year with a bolstered line-up including new recruits Zac Williams, Adam Saad and Lachie Fogarty but Sunday’s loss leaves David Teague’s men in 13th spot at 3-6 on the ladder.
But, in a boost Martin, who was one of the Blues’ best players last year, is on track to return over the next fortnight.
Carlton football manager Brad Lloyd said the club would fully support the 24-year-old Cuningham as he prepared to go under the knife for a full knee reconstruction.
“David worked extremely hard to earn his place back in the 22 this season and was really putting together some solid football in recent weeks,” Lloyd said
“This news is always tough to hear but we know what David brings to this football club and we will support him fully throughout his recovery.
“We have no doubt he will now translate that work ethic into his rehab and ensure he is back out in the navy Blue next season.”
Bulldogs hit with hamstring injury
Western Bulldogs’ defence has suffered the loss of one of its generals with Easton Wood to be sidelined for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.
The 31-year-old former skipper injured himself in the opening quarter of Saturday night’s victory over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval and scans on Monday confirmed a “moderate grade” strain.
But there could be better news for the Bulldogs for Saturday night’s clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium with premiership midfielder Lachie Hunter (hand) and ruckman Tim English (concussion) both facing fitness tests.
The Bulldogs head of sports medicine Chris Bell said Wood, whose pre-season preparation was disrupted by a hamstring injury, would be out for between four to six weeks.
“In the first quarter of the game on the weekend while accelerating into a contest, Easton suffered a hamstring strain,” Bell said.
“With clinical assessment today and an MRI, we can confirm that it is a moderate grade injury.
“We expect Easton to miss the next 4-6 weeks of footy.”
Hunter was pushing to play against Port less than a week after surgery to stabilise a fracture in his hand, but fell short.
“The operation went well and although we tried hard to get him up to play, he was hampered by some swelling,” Bell said.
“We will continue to work with Lachie this week to determine his availability towards the back end of the week.”
English has not played since suffering a concussion against Greater Western Sydney three weeks ago, but will continue to be monitored this week.
“Tim English has continued to make slow progress from the concussion that he suffered in Round 6,” Bell said.
“He fully trained without contact last week and still wasn’t quite 100 per cent. We will continue to monitor Tim this week and once he is fully recovered we will return him to availability.”
Cripps saga could have been handled better
Carlton coach David Teague has conceded last week’s dismissal explanation of Patrick Cripps’ back injury was “pretty average” and he probably wasn’t as “honest” as he could have been.
It comes as he revealed key forward Harry McKay has been playing through a shoulder injury for at least the past fortnight.
Teague last week played down the extent of Cripps’ back problem during his weekly press conference, saying he had no idea what the issue had been.
But after the star midfielder racked up 27 touches and seven clearances in the 26-point loss to Melbourne on Sunday, the coach said he did in fact know the full extent of the injury.
Reports last week said Cripps has played the early part of the season with a fractured back, which has since healed.
“I assessed his game better than I handled the media conference the other day … that was pretty average by me,” Teague said.
“I thought the injury was in the past.
“It hampered him in rounds two and three, so when it got brought up I was probably a bit frustrated.
“I probably wasn’t as honest and as direct as I could have been.
“At the end of the day, the message I wanted to get across is that he’s fine now.
“I could’ve been clearer with the messaging around that.
“For me, the fans need to know he’s right and he’s out there.
“Last week he just didn’t have a great game.
“I thought it was probably one of my worst press conferences.
“ … I knew the full extent.
“I just thought it was in the past. To be honest, at the start of the year, I probably didn’t share it all.
“But there are times when you want to protect your player.
“This one, the frustration probably came up because it was in the past.
“We were dragging up old news, because he probably just didn’t have his best day.
“Our medical staff, I have absolute trust in them. I think they do a very good job. But do they feed that information back to me? Absolutely.
“I’m clear about what’s going on. I even did anatomy at university, so I’d like to think I know a little bit more than most.
“They do a great job and we’ll always put the best interests of our players at heart.
“That’s something that I think this club really prides itself on. You can see that with Charlie Curnow, we’re not going to rush him back.”
The Carlton coach also explained more about McKay’s troublesome right shoulder after he came from the ground in the first term against the Demons following a knock.
The Coleman medal favourite went down to the rooms but re-emerged late in the quarter and bravely played out the game.
McKay looked ginger and struggled to compete one-on-one against Steven May but came to life in the third quarter with two of his three goals.
Teague said McKay had been battling the shoulder issue for the past few weeks.
“He’s had that for a couple of weeks so hopefully it will continue to get better,” Teague said after the game.
“He said he felt better going into this game than last week so hopefully it will get better again.”
In a double blow for the Blues, David Cuningham looks set for an extended stint on the sidelines after going down in the opening minutes with a knee injury.
Cuningham will be assessed to determine if he suffered an ACL injury.
Teague didn’t shed too much light on the extent of the damage after the game but said it was a “serious knee injury”.
“We’ll find out (on Monday) exactly what it is but, yeah, it’s really disappointing,” he said.
Saint goes under the knife
St Kilda’s medical department has made the unusual decision to operate on Rowan Marshall’s foot injury in a move that will sideline the star ruckman for at least a month.
AFL clubs try to avoid using the plantar fascia surgery that the 25-year-old will receive because it can lead to ongoing foot problems, including hot spots and stress fractures.
Melbourne star Jack Viney is one player who has undergone the procedure and then suffered several foot-related setbacks afterwards.
The Sunday Herald Sun understands that Marshall had been receiving pre-match local anaesthetic injections in recent weeks.
But the pain threshold became too high against Geelong on Friday night and so the Saints have decided that their conservative management plan was not going to work.
Marshall will have his plantar fascia surgically released and is then expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
“This is a really frustrating injury to manage,” Saints football boss Simon Lethlean said.
“It can seem a bit like one step forward, two steps back, but that is the nature of this issue.
“The only thing we can do is support Rowan and give him the time he needs to recover.”
The 4-5 Saints started the season with a ruck crisis and now they must try to stay in touching distance of the top eight without their main man.
Marshall told his teammates over a beer celebrating Jack Steele’s 100th that he would rush back from foot soreness to take on Nic Naitanui in Round 4.
Marshall made all the difference, but then sat out Round 5 and has played through pain ever since.
It will be a double surgery week at Moorabbin with onballer Brad Crouch booked to have his fractured cheekbone repaired.
Crouch is not expected to miss a game and is firmly on track to play Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.
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Originally published as AFL injury latest: All the news, updates ahead of Round 10
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