Barometer: Your club’s injury list after Round 20
Essendon has been dealt another shocking injury blow with blond bombshell Matt Guelfi ruled out for the season after a training incident. EVERY CLUB’S INJURY LIST
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Essendon’s horrific injury list continues to grow, with news young gun Matt Guelfi wrecked his knee at training.
The 21-year-old was forced from the track on Monday, following the Bombers loss to Port Adelaide, and underwent surgery today to repair a torn meniscus and will miss the rest of the season.
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“Matt Guelfi, in our first session back after the game was diving for a ball, twisted his knee and he has torn his meniscus, which is the cushioning in his knee,” club physical performance manager Justin Crow said.
“He’s gone for surgery … to have that repaired and unfortunately for Matt, that will be the end of his season.”
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The versatile utility has played 17 games this season, filling a variety of roles as a stopgap throughout Essendon’s injury woes, but now joins the likes of Joe Daniher, Tom Bellchambers, Devon Smith and Michael Hurley on the sidelines.
Attacking half back Adam Saad has been ruled out of the Bombers clash with Western Bulldogs and could miss longer after he suffered a hamstring issue against the Power.
“Adam Saad has a low-grade epimysial strain, which is a sheath around the hamstring,” Crow said.
“Usually you would miss two weeks, but he is actually presenting quite well early on so we will be assessing him over the next couple of weeks about when he’s ready to return.”
James Stewart has also been sent for surgery on a niggling groin and won’t play again this season.
Captain Dyson Heppell continues to be a week-to-week proposition as he deals with a chronic foot issue, while Darcy Parish (concussion) and Aaron Francis (neck) will have to prove their fitness after suffering injuries against the Power.
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SAINTS LOSE STAR FOR SEASON
St Kilda star midfielder Jade Gresham is in danger of missing the rest of the season with a fractured eye socket.
Gresham, 24, was the victim of some friendly fire late in the loss to Adelaide when teammate Jack Steele pushed Rory Sloane into Gresham at Adelaide Oval.
One of St Kilda’s best players, Gresham will miss at least two of the remaining three games, depending on specialists’ advice.
In a statement yesterday St Kilda said “scans following Saturday night’s clash with Adelaide revealed a small fracture in the area surrounding his left eye.”
The club will make a call on his status depending on how his face heals in the lead up to the Round 23 clash against Sydney Swans.
The Saints remain a slim chance to make finals if they can win their last three games of the home and away season against Fremantle, Carlton and the Swans.
Gresham is one of the club’s most valuable players and is again tipped to finish high up in the best and fairest behind likely winner Rowan Marshall.
—Jay Clark
PIES: NO RISKS WITH DE GOEY
Collingwood star Jordan De Goey won’t run the risk of trying to return prematurely from his hamstring injury, despite the club’s alarming injury list that threatens the Magpies’ season.
But De Goey has insisted he will be back before the finals in what is expected to be a smaller revamped Magpies’ forward line.
The 23-year-old is set to miss a second successive week when the injury-hit Magpies tackle Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.
His absence comes on top of a host of other injuries to key Magpie players, including Mason Cox, who later this week will have season-ending surgery on a torn left retina, and more laser surgery on his right eye.
However, the Magpies’ injury crisis won’t push De Goey into making a rash return.
“I’m going all right, (I’m) chipping away,” De Goey said on Triple M. “It is obviously one of those injuries that you don’t want to come back too quickly from.”
“I will take the right amount of time and make sure it is right before I come back — whether that’s this week or next, I will find out soon.”
De Goey hasn’t played since he tweaked his hamstring in the dying minutes of the loss to Richmond in Round 19.
Meanwhile, Cox’s manager, Adam Ramanauskas said on RSN927 Breakfast his client will not be able to engage in any contact training for the next three months as he recovers.
Cox copped a poke in the eye in Sunday’s clash with Gold Coast and had to sit out the last half of the game.
He spent time at the Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital where he was diagnosed with a torn retina and will have surgery later this week.
“The funny part with Mason is they also tested his good eye and he needs a little bit of (laser) surgery on that as well,” Ramanauskas said.
—Glenn McFarlane
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ADELAIDE
The Crows came out of their 22-point win over St Kilda at Adelaide Oval with no injuries to add to their list and instead with a key defender in Alex Keath a possibility to return from ankle soreness.
Adelaide now heads to Perth to face a highly favoured West Coast on Sunday and coach Don Pyke said it would be another great challenge for the club as September edges ever closer and the Crows look to cement their chances of continuing their season.
Pyke said he was pleased with the performances of his veterans — Eddie Betts and Bryce Gibbs — brought after returning from spells in the SANFL and would be unlucky to be dropped for the clash with the Eagles.
He also said he “imagined” that youngster Darcy Fogarty had done enough to stay in the line-up.
“It was good to get him in and good to give him the opportunity,” Pyke said of Fogarty.
—Liz Walsh
INJURIES
Alex Keath (ankle) test
Cam Ellis-Yolmen (shin) 1 week
Ned McHenry (back) 1-3 weeks
Andrew McPherson (hamstring) 3-4 weeks
Paul Hunter (foot) 5 weeks
Tom Doedee (ACL) season
BRISBANE
The Lions knew their run of good luck with injury had to end somewhere.
No one expected the somewhere to be super resilient skipper Dayne Zorko. But the born and bred Gold Coaster, who was famously snubbed by the Suns, won’t get the chance to once again remind them of the error of their ways in Saturday’s QClash.
The Lions say his hamstring strain is only minor but have conceded he is likely to miss just the fifth game of his 163 game career at the Gabba.
Zorko sat out from the 20th minute mark of the third quarter and his departure led to an immediate Bulldogs blitz.
His replacement could come from regular emergency Ben Keays although the Lions may like to look at youngsters Cedric Cox, Ely Smith or Corey Lyons who have been in good form in the NEAFL.
—Andrew Hamilton
INJURIES
Mitch Hinge (hamstring) 1 week
Tom Cutler (foot) test
Tom Joyce (shin) 5 weeks
Dayne Zorko (hamstring) test
CARLTON
Expect to see a leaner and more energetic Mitch McGovern upon his return to Carlton’s senior team.
The recruit is on the brink of a recall after spending a month in a training block to regain some of his lost fitness and conditioning this year.
But as difficult as it would have been watching the Blues take on his brother’s West Coast Eagles on Sunday from the stands, interim coach David Teague is convinced the move was the right one for the former Crow.
Teague said McGovern had impressed in the training phase and was likely to play at some level this weekend. The Blues take on premiership favourite Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
“He’s been outstanding. I’m not sure what (kilograms) he’s lost or his conditioning (skin folds) but the way he trained at the weekend, you could see he just had a lot more energy on the track,” Teague said on Triple M.
“He’s not far away, he’ll probably play next week.”
—Jay Clark
INJURIES
Charlie Curnow (knee) season
Sam Docherty (knee) season
Pat Kerr (shoulder) season
Matthew Kreuzer (hip) test
Caleb Marchbank (neck) season
Mitch McGovern (conditioning) indefinite
Tom Williamson (back) season
COLLINGWOOD
The good news story for Collingwood is Daniel Wells is set to make an early return from a knee injury that threatened to end his career.
The Pies could unleash the skilled ball user in the VFL this weekend.
Wells hasn’t played suffering the injury in Round 10 — his first and only game this season — and had to weigh up a decision to have season-ending surgery to repair the posterior and medial ligaments in his left knee or hope they heal enough for him to make a return this year.
The latter has proven fruitful, with Wells set to undergo a fitness test Thursday in a bid to line up against the Casey Demons at Victoria Park on Sunday.
Big man Mason Cox copped a poke in the eye and was ruled out of the game at halftime after suffering blurred vision.
Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said Chris Mayne was sore, but otherwise unhurt after he was floored from a heavy hit attacking a contest right on the final siren.
Jordan De Goey (hamstring) won’t be risked, while Cox will miss the rest of the season.
Taylor Adams returned from injury unscathed, while defender Jordan Roughead also got through the game after his concussion last week against Richmond.
—Rebecca Williams
INJURIES
James Aish (shoulder) 3 weeks
Dayne Beams (hip/mental health) season
Mason Cox (eye) season
Jordan De Goey (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Lynden Dunn (knee) season
Will Kelly (leg) TBC
Tom Langdon (knee) season
Darcy Moore (hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Sam Murray (provisional suspension) TBC
Isaac Quaynor (foot) TBC
Ben Reid (hamstring) TBC
Jaidyn Stephenson (suspended) 3 weeks
Daniel Wells (knee) 3 weeks
ESSENDON
The weekend result was disappointing, the final margin perhaps more alarming.
John Worsfold acknowledged his side had an off day against Port but he did highlight some pressing issues.
Those issues had been present the previous week but were masked as his side snatched the four points on the Gold Coast.
The Bombers’ structure took a hit before the first bounce against the Power with Shaun McKernan’s withdrawal.
He’ll return from illness and strengthen the big-man department against the Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Dyson Heppell is holding off on surgery in the hope of being able to manage the injury until season’s end. Hopefully he’s capable of playing this week.
Darcy Parish copped a heavy hit and was ruled out with concussion, so all eyes will be on the team sheet on Thursday. Adam Saad was taken off late but Worsfold said hat was precautionary as he got through despite hamstring tightness. Tom Bellchambers is still a few weeks off but gee his team needs him.
The Bombers should make the eight but after Saturday’s horror show their remaining matches against the Dogs, Freo (away) and Collingwood suddenly seem far less winnable.
—Ben Broad
INJURIES
Matt Guelfi (knee) season
Adam Saad (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Tom Bellchambers (calf) 1-2 weeks
Joe Daniher (groin) season
Sam Draper (knee) season
Dyson Heppell (foot) test
Michael Hurley (shoulder) 3-4 weeks
Shaun McKernan (illness) test
Irving Mosquito (hamstring) 1 week
Kobe Mutch (knee) TBC
Darcy Parish (concussion) test
Devon Smith (knee) season
James Stewart (groin) season
FREMANTLE
What an evening for Fremantle. Still in finals contention? Tick. A huge upset against the ladder leader? Tick. No injuries? Tick.
The Dockers would love defensive interceptor Luke Ryan back, but he’s likely at least two weeks away as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Six Fremantle players won’t be seen again this year — Stefan Giro, Jesse Hogan, Shane Kersten, Lloyd Meek, Alex Pearce and Matt Taberner.
The club’s reserves side Peel Thunder suffered a close loss to Claremont, but Travis Colyer (26 disposals, nine tackles) was prominent.
Taken at pick No. 17 in last year’s draft, Sam Sturt is worth monitoring as he continues his recovery from a long concussion lay-off. The forward had 17 possessions and five marks in the WAFL.
—Tim Michell
INJURIES
Brennan Cox (hip) 1 week
Stefan Giro (knee) season
Stephen Hill (quad) TBC
Jesse Hogan (foot) season
Lloyd Meek (foot) season
Alex Pearce (ankle) season
Luke Ryan (hamstring) 2 weeks
Matt Taberner (foot) season
GEELONG
The Cats opted for two late changes in the west, resting Luke Dahlhaus, while Irishman Mark O’Connor missed due to injury. Forward Gary Rohan will be monitored this week after appearing to suffer an ankle injury in Geelong’s loss to Fremantle.
The Cats’ VFL team played on Sunday with Nakia Cockatoo and Brandan Parfitt the possible AFL inclusions before finals from their injury list.
Geelong would have loved to ease its big names into finals but its poor run in recent weeks will likely mean those plans will be shelved as the club battles to avoid an away trip in week one of finals.
—Tim Michell
INJURIES
Nakia Cockatoo (knee) test
Jordan Cunico (ankle) 1-3 weeks
Zach Guthrie (ankle) test
Nathan Kreuger (knee) test
Brandan Parfitt (back) test
GOLD COAST
Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew cast aside any concerns over ruckman Jarrod Witts after he finished the match on the bench against the Magpies.
Witts copped a knock to his knee late in the final quarter, but Dew said the decision to leave him off the ground had been more precautionary.
“About 11 minutes to go, he copped a little bit of a knock, but absolutely fine,” Dew said.
“We just weighed up the score and Wittsy’s workload and decided to leave him on the pine for the last bit.
“He wasn’t all that happy with that but that’s because he is a competitor.”
—Rebecca Williams
INJURIES
Callum Ah Chee (ankle) 2 weeks
Will Brodie (hamstring) season
Sam Collins (hip) season
Brayden Crossley (personal leave) TBC
Nick Holman (back) season
Jack Martin (finger) 1 week
Wil Powell (knee) season
Izak Rankine (hip) TBC
Mitch Riordan (calf) 2 weeks
Rory Thompson (knee) season
Harrison Wigg (knee) season
Aaron Young (knee) 1-2 weeks
GWS GIANTS
The Giants lost star forward Jeremy Cameron, but still managed to get the four points. All eyes will be on his sore calf this week. Dawson Simpson was a late out in the thrilling two-point win over the Swans and Shane Mumford was among GWS’ best in his solo role. Simpson’t recall might depend on if the Hawks decide to pick Jon Ceglar to support Ben McEvoy on Friday night. Jeremy Finlayson is a concern after he had a sore hammy, then hurt his finger in the Sydney Derby. The good news is the Giants are on the verge of getting some serious firepower back with superstar Josh Kelly, boom run-with tagger Matt de Boer and Aiden Corr and Isaac coming edging closer to a return. A Friday night clash with the all but finals-eliminated Hawks looms as the Giants hunt the double chance.
—Michael Randall
INJURIES
Jeremy Cameron (calf soreness) TBC
Dawson Simpson (managed) test
Jeremy Finlayson (finger) TBC
Stephen Coniglio (knee) 5 weeks
Aidan Corr (calf) test
Isaac Cumming (hamstring) test
Matt de Boer (shoulder) 1 week
Matt Flynn (knee) season
Josh Kelly (calf) test
Zac Langdon (ankle) 5 weeks
Xavier O’Halloran (knee) test
Jonathon Patton (knee) TBC
Sam Taylor (hamstring) 3 weeks
Callan Ward (knee) Season
HAWTHORN
It’s season over for the Hawks, who won’t play finals now after falling to second-straight loss to North Melbourne on Friday night.
The news gets worse, with out-of-contract defender Grant Birchall to have scans on a hamstring injury suffered in the third quarter against the Roos.
Birchall is currently stuck on 248 AFL games and now faces an uphill battle to play again this year and add to that tally with only three rounds remaining.
The Hawks will no doubt continue to focus on the positives for the remainder of the season — including the development of James Worpel and Mitchell Lewis.
The Hawks meet Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on Friday night, a team they upset by 33 points when they last met in Round 8.
—Chris Cavanagh
INJURIES:
Grant Birchall (hamstring) TBC
Jarman Impey (knee) season
Harry Jones (knee) season
Darren Minchington (hamstring) 4-5 weeks
Tom Mitchell (broken leg) indefinite
Tim Mohr (dislocated knee/ACL) season
Ryan Schoenmakers (calf) 1 week
Jack Scrimshaw (knee) 2 weeks
MELBOURNE
It was heart in the mouth stuff for the Melbourne hierarchy when Jake Lever limped off with what looked to be another knee issue.
Everyone at the MCG held their breath given the former Crows history of two knee reconstructions.
Thankfully he returned and played out most of the game with a rolled ankle the official diagnosis. Given where the Demons sit, you’d think they’d be very cautious with Lever looking ahead to next week’s clash with arch rival Collingwood.
The Demons reserves were also soundly beaten by Richmond on Saturday with Marty Hore getting plenty of touches to put his case forward for a recall.
— Scott Gullan
INJURIES
Jeff Garlett (shoulder) season
Mitch Hannan (groin) test
Kade Kolodjashnij (head) season
Jake Kever (knee) TBC
Steven May (hamstring) test
Tom McDonald (knee) season
Aaron Nietschke (knee) season
Joel Smith (groin) Season
Charlie Spargo (calf) test
Tom Sparrow (knee) 1-2 weeks
Aaron vandenBerg (foot) TBC
Guy Walker (shoulder) Indefinite
Sam Weideman (jaw) season
NORTH MELBOURNE
Things are looking relatively good on the injury front at North Melbourne.
It got through Friday night’s win over Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium fairly unscathed.
Shaun Higgins, who was best afield against the Hawks, had to have his nose patched up after copping a knock during the game.
Coach Rhyce Shaw said he should be fine to play next round.
The Kangas’ next clash will be against ladder-leaders at Geelong down the highway next Saturday night.
The Roos are just a game out of the eight but Shaw still refuses to talk about September.
—Nick Smart
INJURIES
Shaun Atley (knee) TBC
Majak Daw (hamstring) season
Aaron Hall (personal leave) indefinite
Kyron Hayden (achilles) season
Ben Jacobs (head/neck) season
Luke McDonald (fractured fibula) season
Tom McKenzie (back) TBC
Bailey Scott (foot) indefinite
Dom Tyson (calf) test
Ed Vickers-Willis (knee) season
Will Walker (knee) TBC
PORT ADELAIDE
Power co-captain Ollie Wines is finally ready to return to the side, according to coach Ken Hinkley.
Wines has missed Port’s past three games with a broken left thumb and while he tried valiantly at training last week to prove his fitness for the clash with Essendon, the Power erred on the side of caution.
Now Hinkley says Wines is ready to go and should play against Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Saturday as Port continues to fight for a finals spot.
“He’ll be available,’’ Hinkley said.
“Obviously the team played well (against the Bombers), so we’ll look at what that (selection) looks like.
“But I thought we did the right thing by Ollie this week (giving him an extra week off).’’
Hinkley said classy first-year player Zak Butters should be right to play against the Swans, despite copping a heavy hit to the sternum against Essendon which saw him spend time off the ground being checked by medical staff before returning to the field.
“There’s nothing too much there,’’ Hinkley said.
“He copped a couple of big hits, fair hits, just footy hits, but he’s just a little fella so he was banged up a little bit.
“He took a bit of time to recover but he came back out and should be fine.’’
—Andrew Capel
INJURIES
Ryan Burton (hamstring) 2-4 weeks
Tobin Cox (kidney) 1-2 weeks
Brad Ebert (knee) 4-6 weeks
Riley Grundy (finger) assess
Jake Patmore (knee) season
Jack Watts (leg) TBC
Ollie Wines (thumb) assess
RICHMOND
There’s plenty of pressure coming from underneath at Punt Rd with coach Damien Hardwick indicating premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis is ready to return after three weeks in the VFL.
Nankervis dominated in the VFL on Saturday finishing with 20 disposals, a goal and 34 hit-outs.
While Ivan Soldo has done nothing wrong — and even provided the highlight of Saturday night’s win with a freak soccer goal — he is likely to make way for next Sunday’s blockbuster against a resurgent Carlton.
Others to impress in the reserves included Connor Menadue and mid-season recruit Marlion Pickett who was on fire in the opening quarter of his VFL debut collecting eight touches and a goal.
The 27-year-old finished with 20 possessions, a goal and three tackles to indicate he will be pushing for senior selection in the near future.
—Scott Gullan
INJURIES
Trent Cotchin (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Jack Higgins (brain bleed) season
Callum Moore (ankle) test
Alex Rance (knee) indefinite
Sydney Stack (calf tightness) test
ST KILDA
Jack Newnes and Ben Paton withdrew from St Kilda’s team due to illness and were replaced by Matt Parker and Daniel McKenzie.
Onballer Jade Gresham copped a heavy knock at the opening bounce of Saturday night’s clash against Adelaide but had few issues playing on.
Rebounding defender Jimmy Webster was a key figure for the Saints last year but has found himself on the outer for much of this season.
On Saturday, he was named as one of the best players in Sandringham’s heavy VFL loss to Essendon.
Jonathon Marsh and Sam Rowe were also named in the Zebras’ best, however an 85-point defeat suggests any call-ups are unlikely.
Dan Hannebery watch will be on again this week after he was listed as an illness for Round 20.
It is unlikely St Kilda will take any risks with the big-money recruit after an injury-riddled 2019 campaign.
—Tim Michell
INJURIES
Blake Acres (shoulder) test
David Armitage (personal) indefinite
Logan Austin (shoulder) indefinite
Jack Bytel (back) season
Jarryn Geary (leg) 2-4 weeks
Dan Hannebery (illness) test
Dean Kent (quad) season
Max King (ankle) season
Billy Longer (concussion) season
Paddy McCartin (concussion) season
Lewis Pierce (concussion) indefinite
Dylan Roberton (heart) season
SYDNEY SWANS
All Australian defender Dane Rampe might just have been the difference for Sydney, had he played, and the Swans will be desperate for him to return from the freak eye injury that kept him out this week. In saying that, they will take no risks with any of their injured players as finals are out of the question and John Longmire will already have one eye on 2020. Lance Franklin won’t play against Port Adelaide on Saturday, but will be hoping he can get back for game No. 300 the week after. Robbi Fox is the other injured Swan who is a chance of returning after he was kept out due to concussion.
—Michael Randall
INJURIES
Dane Rampe (eye) TBC
Darcy Cameron (quad) 1 weeks
Harry Cunningham (groin) season
Robbie Fox (concussion) test
Lance Franklin (hamstring) 1 week
Will Hayward (hip) season
Matthew Ling (achilles) 1 week
Jack Maibaum (knee) season
Jarrad McVeigh (calf) 1 week
Colin O’Riordan (groin) TBC
Callum Sinclair (shoulder) season
Nick Smith (hamstring) season
Durak Tucker (hamstring) TBC
WEST COAST
West Coast is in better shape than last years as it tracks towards a top-two spot in its premiership defence.
Not only are Andrew Gaff and Brad Sheppard back in the team, gun forwards Willie Rioli, Liam Ryan and Jarrod Cameron and emerging tall utility Oscar Allen are all continuing to grow, adding to West Coast’s imposing forward set up.
Jeremy McGovern had a field day in the 24-point win over Carlton and Tom Hickey also impressed in Nic Naitanui’s absence.
The only blemish was in the midfield where the Blues outpointed West Coast in the midfield battle.
—Jay Clark
INJURIES
Jamie Cripps (adductor) test
Liam Duggan (ankle) test
Harry Edwards (foot) test
Mark Hutchings (hamstring) test
Nic Naitanui (ankle) indefinite
Josh Smith (hamstring) 3-5 weeks
Nathan Vardy (ankle/knee) test
Daniel Venables (concussion) season
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Hayden Crozier’s leg injury looked nasty after he came down awkwardly in a marking contest with Brisbane livewire Charlie Cameron during the Doggies’ loss to the Lions in Brisbane. He will be sent for scans in the hope it is not serious. It’s a stab in the dark, because who knows what Bevo is thinking, but 2018 draft picks Ben Cavarra (shoulder) and Laitham Vandermeer (calf) both played in the VFL this week and, while they might not quite be up to it yet, could sneak in for AFL debuts in the next few weeks, especially if the Bulldogs are mathematically ruled out of finals.
—Michael Randall
INJURIES
Hayden Crozier (ankle/leg) TBC
Ryan Gardner (knee) 3-5 weeks
Fergus Greene (shoulder) season
Dale Morris (knee) season
Mitch Wallis (ankle) indefinite
Lukas Webb (ankle) test