Cameron Cloke heads list of injured Templestowe stars in Eastern league’s Division 2
The Dockers are set to be without an ex-AFL tall for a lengthy period – but he’s not the only star recruit in for a long stint on the sidelines.
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Templestowe is counting the cost of a bruising start to the season with a host of star names set for lengthy stints on the sidelines.
The Eastern league Division 2 club has confirmed it will be without former AFL big man Cameron Cloke for the foreseeable future after he suffered a hamstring injury in the first quarter of Saturday’s loss to East Burwood.
Templestowe coach Anthony McGregor feared Cloke’s injury was “pretty substantial” but said the club would know more information tonight.
Cloke kicked two opening quarter goals for the Dockers on Saturday after a bag of six on debut in the Round 1 win.
“We’ve certainly been cursed with injury, we’ve lost possibly three for the year already and Cam’s will be fairly long-term I would’ve thought,” McGregor said.
“Obviously it doesn’t help when you’re plus 30 and a big guy, but it’s one of those things that happens.
“Basically he just went up in a marking contest and there wasn’t much more to it than that to be honest.”
Cloke joins inside midfielder Jai Hardwick (bicep) and key defender Shaun McMillan (ACL) on the sidelines following their injuries in Round 1.
Hardwick crossed from Rosebud in the off-season after a stint with Doncaster East while McMillan joined from Montrose.
“(Hardwick’s) looking at plus 12 (games absent) I reckon, and he goes into surgery I believe tomorrow which is frustrating for him,” McGregor said.
“New to the club, good recruits, it’s certainly a shame for them and the club. But that’s life.”
While McGregor conceded it would be difficult to replace Cloke as a target in attack, he said the club had options waiting in the wings.
One of those is veteran Kane Maghamez who is yet to pull the boots on in the seniors after returning to the club in the off-season. He brings well in excess of 500 goals’ experience.
“You’re not going to replace someone with (Cloke’s) experience, size and presence,” McGregor said.
“But we’ve got some young kids and we’ve got Kane Maghamez who can certainly play.
“He’s probably a few weeks away by his own admission in regards to where he needs to be in fitness, but it might be somewhere we’ll look for experience.”
McGregor said his side fell to a “very well-drilled” East Burwood outfit by 57 points on Saturday as the Dockers conceded “74 turnovers for the game”.
“We were average at best on the weekend … they hunted our turnovers and made us pay … they made us look slow and silly at times,” McGregor said.
“It’ll be an interesting selection night next week I’d say.”
Templestowe hosts South Belgrave in Round 3.
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