AFL 2024: All the latest injury news from round 12

The ACL epidemic at Tigerland has continued, this time claiming one of Richmond’s brightest stars as they make plans for Dustin Martin’s 300th, and a superstar of the game plots his return. Meanwhile, Max King has learned his fate.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 01: Mykelti Lefau of the Tigers heads to the change rooms with medical staff during the 2024 AFL Round 12 match between the Geelong Cats and the Richmond Tigers at GMHBA Stadium on June 01, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

St Kilda spearhead Max King has avoided long-term damage to his injured knee after being subbed out of the club’s fighting victory against West Coast.

But King will still need to prove his fitness at training this week as he again struggles for continuity.

King missed a fortnight earlier this season with a nagging knee complaint before returning against North Melbourne and had been slowly building fitness.

The Saints said he had “avoided any significant structural or ligament damage” but would need to pass a fitness test this week to be available against Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium.

Brad Crouch had 31 possessions in his second game back in the VFL for Sandringham, while Cooper Sharman kicked three goals and Mattaes Phillipou amassed 26 possessions.

ANOTHER ACL INJURY AT TIGERLAND

Richmond has suffered its fifth ACL tear in 13 weeks – and eighth across its VFL and AFL program – as the club prepares to rest Dustin Martin against Adelaide on Thursday night.

Mykelti Lefau’s scans confirmed he would need surgery to repair his ACL after he hyperextended his knee in his 10th game of a breakout season for the Tigers.

The rugby convert will remain at Richmond next year but the worry for coach Adem Yze is some of the club’s injuries will affect next year’s campaign in what is a torrid injury toll.

Club great Matthew Richardson labelled the injury as “shattering news” and said he was “gutted” for Lefau, who had torn his other ACL in 2022.

The Richmond VFL program has also had two of its players suffer ACL tears during club games and another player go down in a local game so across its combined lists Richmond has had eight ACL tears this year.

Marlion Pickett injured his calf and will also be offered a please explain on Monday by the AFL after his middle-fingered salute to Geelong fans in the crowd.

Lefau has been a revelation for the Tigers. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Pickett’s court case in Perth over a series of burglaries has been continually delayed as he continues to play, but he faces a likely fine from the AFL.

Richmond coach Adem Yze had not seen the incident post-match but said: “If he has, that’s disappointing. You can’t be doing that”.

Richmond barely has any key position players left to bring into the side against Adelaide and might have to recall Jacob Koschitzke, who had been playing in defence in the VFL in recent weeks.

Star forward Tom Lynch is listed as 2-3 weeks away off his hamstring tendon injury so will only be back in round 14 at the earliest.

Ruck-forward Samson Ryan was excellent after finally earning a recall the previous week so might have to play more forward time with Toby Nankervis playing ruck.

Dion Prestia (managed) is also in line to return after being rested against Geelong given his injury history.

Coach Adem Yze had proposed resting several Tigers off a five-day break pre-match but players like veteran Nankervis will have to continue to suit up.

Martin is preparing to celebrate his 300th game at the MCG in round 14 but the five-day break also allows him to freshen up.

Yze would not confirm Martin would be rested but it would be a shock if he played against Adelaide.

Dustin Martin looks likely to miss Richmond’s clash with Adelaide. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

“It won’t be around (his milestone),” Yze said.

“It will be because we have got a five-day break. We will probably have three or four players in that category based on their age and workload that might be in a high risk category against Adelaide so we will go through that and see who pulls up well and he will obviously be one of those players. We are around performance and he will want to play but if it means it’s too high risk based on the five-day break and we travel and have to get back (tonight from Geelong), so we will make that decision later on during the week.”

Geelong will seriously consider adding Patrick Dangerfield to its list of returning midfielders against Sydney, with Mark Blicavs and Jhye Clarke to return from suspension against a Sydney side that Chris Scott said was currently footy’s best team.

Star defender Tom Stewart spent the last minutes of the win on the bench after a heavy collision but the Cats reported on Sunday he had been cleared of injury.

But the big decision surrounds Dangerfield, who put up his hand to play for the first time since round 7 after his second hamstring issue of the season.

Patrick Dangerfield is aiming for a return next week. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

While it is so tempting for Geelong given he would help their chances in the Sunday clash, a more cautious approach would give him 12 more days given the Cats have a round 14 bye then a Friday night clash against Carlton again.

“It will be tempting to bring Dangerfield back. He has had a few really good weeks on the track.

“I suspect he will be available,” Scott said.

Dangerfield was more bullish on 3AW radio: “My plan is next week and if you say it publicly it puts pressure on the medicos. Hoping next week and it’s been main training for a couple of weeks now.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: All the latest injury news from round 12