EFL 2022: Vermont ruckmen Robbie Ross, Anthony Jenkins set for long lay-off

Vermont’s injury woes have continued, with a five-time premiership hero among the latest casualties.

VERMONT has suffered a devastating double injury blow, adding to a mounting list of casualties and a stretch of losses.

Veteran ruckman Robbie Ross is set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines following Saturday’s defeat to Rowville, with the five-time premiership Eagle succumbing to a fractured ankle among a series of injuries.

The 35-year-old has forged one of the great careers at Vermont, where he was soon set to become just the ninth player in the club’s 102-year history to play 200 senior matches, having played 198 after debuting in 2004.

Robbie Ross (18) goes up in the ruck for Vermont. Picture: Field of View Sports Photography

But Vermont president Danny Ross is confident the 2009 best-and-fairest winner would return next season.

“He’s getting operated on this morning, and he’s got a fractured fibula, a fractured ankle and a ruptured tendon that goes between the tibula and fibula,” Ross said.

“It’s a three-month injury, he’s pretty tough and he walked off the ground … but he’s committed to play next year and he’s in a good headspace.”

Fellow ruckman Anthony Jenkins is also set for a long lay-off after an ACL injury in the opening minutes last Saturday.

Jenkins won the Eagles’ reserves best-and-fairest in 2021 and had impressed after stepping into the senior ranks this year across seven appearances.

Vermont has now lost four matches in a row for the first time since 2011 – when it last missed the finals after beginning that season 0-6.

The Eagles slid to seventh – two points outside of the top six – on the weekend, slumping to a 5-5 record after losing just one of their first six matches.

Vermont coach Adam Parker. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Injuries have been a familiar tale for Vermont this season, with key forward Andrew Ainger missing the past month with a hamstring injury, defender James Ross (hamstring) out for up to six weeks, while premiership midfielder Adrian Kalcovski (jaw) has also been among the key names sidelined.

A wealth of premiership stars exited the club over the off-season, including midfielder Tom Schneider, ruckman Liam Buxton and defender Matt Willcocks.

Ross has implored the Eagles’ faithful to remain patient following a period of sustained success, which has netted two of the past three top-flight premierships among seven this century.

“We’re still trying to make the six, we’re half a game behind,” Ross said.

“We’ve already said to our supporters (and) they know they injuries, that when we didn’t have injuries, we were 5-1 and we also won the minor premiership last year.

“We’ve got some good talent. It’s just a fact of life, we can’t control it … we’re not going to be defined by the last four weeks, we’re going to be defined by the next two to three years.

“We’ll do a bit of recruiting in the off-season and we’ve already started.

“Our supporters like to win, and when we don’t, they get a bit antsy. We’re not resting on our laurels, let me tell you.”

Vermont takes on second-placed Noble Park this weekend, but could regain a host of key names including spearhead Ainger, young VFL-listed tall Mason Hawkins, and ex-Port Melbourne mid Matt Arnot.