AFL 2023: All the injury news from round 8

Western Bulldogs young star Sam Darcy has been told by a specialist that he has a hole in his lung. See the latest injury news here.

Western Bulldogs star Adam Treloar. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Brilliant young Western Bulldogs swingman Sam Darcy will miss a month or more of football after being diagnosed with a small hole in his lung that is affecting his breathing.

The young key tall reported shortness of breath leading up to the VFL game on the weekend and missed the game as a precaution.

A specialist confirmed that he has a small hole in his lung which will not need surgery but will prevent him from ramping up his training for several weeks as his progress is monitored.

The Dogs expect he will miss at least the next two or three weeks of footy as the hole naturally heals before getting back to full fitness.

Sam Darcy. Picture: Ian Currie

And while he completed a light session with his Western Bulldogs teammates this week it will stop him from getting in valuable fitness work as he ensures his lung heals.

Darcy had been building form and fitness in the VFL since being dropped after round 2, with coach Luke Beveridge admitting early in the year he was not yet fit enough to play a full game as a defender.

So the Dogs hopes of getting him back into the side after building a strong base of fitness will be hampered while he gets over the lung issue.

Dogs head of sports medicine Chris Bell said he had reported the “insidious onset of some shortness of breath,” leading up to the VFL game..

“Scans confirmed that he is suffering from a small hole in the lung that has leaked some air into the space between the lung and the chest wall. This has happened spontaneously and is non-traumatic which is uncommon.

“We have consulted with specialists, who expect this to heal and improve with conservative management and time. We will monitor Sam over the coming weeks and declare him available once he is back to full health.”

The Dogs are hopeful Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will train on Thursday and take on Carlton despite some groin soreness.

Tim O’Brien will also need to train well after missing last week’s game with quad tightness, but Adam Treloar is set to miss at least the next fortnight with another hamstring strain.

Bell is hopeful Ugle-Hagan will be ready to take on the Blues after getting through the entire victory over GWS despite an early issue.

“When kicking his goal early in the first quarter, Jamarra had the awareness of some symptoms in one of his groin muscles. He was able to play the rest of the game unrestricted.

“Scans have cleared him of serious damage and he will be tested at our main training this Thursday.”

Danger, Dog’s hamstring scans deliver bad news

Geelong has confirmed captain Patrick Dangerfield is set for a stint on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury during Saturday’s victory against Adelaide.

Scans revealed on Monday revealed Dangerfield suffered a low-grade strain to his left hamstring which saw him subbed out early in the third quarter against the Crows.

In its injury update released on Monday afternoon, the Cats said the 2016 Brownlow medallist would be out for the “short term”.

“Pat has been in fantastic form, so we are disappointed to lose him for the next few weeks,” Geelong general manager of football Simon Lloyd said.

“It’s positive news that it’s on the lower end of a hamstring injury, Pat has already commenced his rehabilitation program and will continue his strong leadership across our football program.”

Cats vice-captain Tom Stewart, who will now lead the side in Dangerfield’s absence, spoke to Melbourne radio station SEN on Monday morning before scan results had been released.

He said he would back the club taking a patient approach.

“I spoke to him last night, you know what Pat’s like, he’s ever the jokester and ever jovial,” he said.

“He was actually (feeling optimistic). We’ll take as much time as we need with Pat. We saw last year the benefits of being a bit more patient with him in that final series.

“Whatever the case, I’m sure the medical staff and coaches will make the right decision.”

Patrick Dangerfield is set for a sting on the sidelines. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Speaking after the win over the Crows, Geelong coach Chris Scott said there were irregularities around the injury that made him think it was an isolated incident.

“It’s a little strange,” he said.

“He’d been so damaging early in the game as well, if he was bursting out of the pack max acceleration, you’d understand it, but this a bit confusing to him and generally when it’s confusing it’s a good sign.

“I thought he was one of the key differences between the teams in the first half. I thought he continued the form he’d shown in the past month, I thought he was outstanding.

“In my opinion the injury history is very relevant when it’s a recurrence of a similar issue, and I can’t remember Pat doing a hamstring, so I don’t think it’ll have a big influence.

“He’s had some trouble with a calf, so if it had been that we would’ve been a bit more cautious, but we’ll treat it as an isolated incident.”

Treloar sidelined, Ugle-Hagan in doubt for Blues clash

Western Bulldogs midfielder Adam Treloar will miss at least the next two weeks with a hamstring strain, while young forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan faces a fitness test ahead of Saturday night’s huge clash against Carlton.

Treloar injured his hamstring in the Bulldogs’ 15-point win over Greater Western Sydney and scans have since confirmed a strain.

The Bulldogs said on Monday that the injury would sideline Treloar for at least the next two matches, meaning the 30-year-old will miss the team’s games against the Blues at Marvel Stadium, Adelaide in Ballarat and, potentially, the Gold Coast Suns in Darwin.

The club said it would assess Treloar this week before it determined a specific return to play plan.

Treloar’s injury comes as Ugle-Hagan faces a test this week to determine his fitness after he suffered an adductor issue in the win over the Giants.

Adam Treloar has suffered another soft-tissue injury. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Ugle-Hagan would be monitored across the club’s training sessions this week, the club said.

Treloar’s absence will be a blow to the Bulldogs after his strong start to the season.

Treloar has averaged an elite 28.9 disposals a game in his seven matches for the Bulldogs this season and also ranks above average for total clearances (6.3).

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge revealed after the win over the Giants Treloar that had played “compromised” for most of the season after an impacted pre-season following off-season ankle surgery.

“Adam has been a little bit compromised for most of the year,” Beveridge said.

“He has had an outstanding start to the year and has been really influential for us.”

Saints reveal severity of Marshall injury

St Kilda is breathing a huge sigh of relief after injuries suffered by star duo Rowan Marshall and Jade Gresham late in their 30-point win over North Melbourne on Sunday evening were deemed to be minor.

Gresham was subbed out with a knee concern while Marshall finished the game on the bench with an ankle complaint.

But the pair look set to be fit for the Saints’ huge clash against the Crows at Adelaide Oval next Sunday.

“‘Gresh’ was his PCL knee from last year, he copped a knock, so we were a little bit worried, he was worried, but it’s turned out it’s quite stable and he’s OK, so we were conservative there,” Lyon said.

“And ‘Ro’ could’ve come back on, he’s just rolled his ankle, so he’ll be fine as well.”

And in a further boost for St Kilda, star key forward Max King is in the frame to play his first senior match since badly injuring his shoulder in the summer.

“He’ll have to jump T1 and T2, so the two football (training) sessions (this week), to be available, and then we go to match committee,” Lyon said.

“He’ll either play at Sandringham or in the AFL if he declares himself fit.”

Rowan Marshall leaves the field. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Dangerfield could be out until after Cats’ bye

Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield could be warehoused until after the Cats’ round 13 bye if scans on Monday reveal any damage to his hamstring.

Dangerfield said on Sunday he did not think he had done anything severe to his hamstring, but the Cats will be extremely cautious with their 33-year-old matchwinner.

Geelong has four games before the round 13 mid-season bye, starting against Richmond on Friday night.

Dangerfield is certain to miss that clash, with star midfield Cam Guthrie also likely to miss as he slowly recovers from a toe joint injury.

With forward Brad Close also likely to be suspended for a dumping tackle on Adelaide’s Jordan Dawson, the Cats will be well short of full strength.

Dangerfield suffered an injury in round 10 and only returned in round 16 but was able to put together an exceptional finals campaign that delivered his first AFL premiership.

He told Channel 7 on Sunday he felt he had damaged his hamstring but not as badly as a previous strain to the belly of the muscle.

“It was a bit of a bugger and an unusual one because I wasn’t all that quickly. Footy throws up these kinds of curve balls and we will scan it and reassess it early in the week with where it’s all at,” he said.

“I think as soon as we find out exactly what it is we make the best call, but with how it feels today I wouldn’t have thought it was anything long-term at all.”

Guthrie has missed the past two games with a toe joint injury that last weekend had him on crutches.

Lloyd said on Saturday Guthrie was battling a toe joint injury and was finally walking pain-free.

The club has listed him as short-term but could give him another week off to ensure he can totally overcome the injury.

Sam De Koning is also missing after surgery on a facial fracture that will likely sideline him against the Tigers.

Originally published as AFL 2023: All the injury news from round 8