AFL injury list: Latest injuries at every club ahead of Round 8
Another Carlton key forward is battling injury, while Richmond’s skipper is facing a long stint on the sidelines. See every club’s full injury list.
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Levi Casboult has been battling a nagging knee injury which has required regular draining of fluid as he prepares for Carlton’s massive test against the Western Bulldogs.
Casboult has been criticised for his lack of impact at the Blues this year, with just four goals and two behinds from seven games.
The Carlton utility had enjoyed a spectacular 2020 season playing ruck, defence and forward as he showed off his versatility in a 16-goal season.
He finished ahead of Patrick Cripps in the best-and-fairest in eighth place, but has been plagued by the injury for most of the season.
He has averaged just 42 ranking points and 8.4 disposals a game, going goalless in four of seven encounters.
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Only rest will help ease his issue but with Mitch McGovern now out for up to 10 weeks with a high-grade hamstring injury there is little ruck-forward cover.
The Blues welcomed back Tom De Koning through the VFL after a back issue and he responded with 31 hit-outs, 12 possessions and 102 ranking points.
But given De Koning was on managed game time the Blues will likely need to give him more VFL game time.
The Blues expect Jack Silvagni (shoulder) to be back from another shoulder injury against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.
Fitness boss Andrew Russell said the Blues hoped Zac Williams (achilles soreness) and Marc Murphy (neck soreness) would be available.
“Zac had a couple of small issues last week: he trained today, he’ll train on Thursday and we expect him to be available this week,” he said.
“‘Murph’ got a hit to the neck last week on Thursday. At the time, we thought he was a chance to still play on Sunday but that didn’t settle down.
“We’ll give him every chance to play this week, we’ll test him on Thursday and see how he comes up and if he’s available.”
Coach David Teague said the Blues were capable of beating anyone in their best form after the victory over Essendon, but the Dogs represent a more stern test.
“We need to get better, particularly as a defensive group,” he said.
“I‘m really confident if we play near our best … that we can beat the Bulldogs or beat Melbourne, or whoever we play.”
COTCHIN SET FOR LONG STINT ON SIDELINES
Chris Cavanagh
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin faces as many as five weeks on the sidelines as the Tigers attempt to find a fix for his recurring hamstring problems.
Cotchin finished on the bench after his latest injury in last Friday night’s win over the Western Bulldogs, with coach Damien Hardwick saying on Wednesday that his skipper would be sidelined for “anywhere from three to five weeks”.
Cotchin missed 11 matches across three separate hamstring injuries in 2019 and a sat out a further four games last season due to a hamstring tear (three games) and then hamstring soreness (one game).
Hardwick said while the Tigers had an idea of why the injuries kept occurring for the 31-year-old, their hands were largely tied in managing them by new AFL rules and Cotchin’s game style.
“He’s had a really bad patch,” Hardwick said.
“We’ve probably got a fair understanding of why it’s happening, but trying to get out of that mechanism is going to be tough.
“He plays a game at such a high intensity, the game is longer, the rotations are less so we’re putting him in a more fatigued state. So the increased risk of injury is there.
“Do we ask that player to slow down? You guys have seen Trent Cotchin play. He’s not going to do that.
“These are the things we’ve got to work through.”
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE EVERY CLUB’S INJURY LIST
The Tigers lose Cotchin and Dylan Grimes (concussion) for Friday night’s Grand Final rematch against Geelong, but will regain Dustin Martin (concussion) and Nick Vlastuin (knee) from injury.
Hardwick said the last meeting of the sides win would have little bearing on the Round 8 clash, but both sides had a fair idea of how each other play.
“Sides consistently evolve and Geelong have done that this year with the addition or Jeremy (Cameron) and they’ll provide a different set of circumstances we’ve got to combat this time,” Hardwick said.
“But we’re confident our defensive mix will be able to curtail it if we play our very best.
“It’s whichever system is strongest for longest that will get the result. The way they control the ball through feet is not going to be foreign to us. We’ve just got to put enough pressure on them to make sure we don’t allow them to play the way they want to play.”
BIG NAMES BACK IN ACTION
The stars are returning in Round 8.
Sydney is set to welcome Lance Franklin back for its top-four clash with Melbourne, while Travis Boak and Rory Sloane are in the frame to play in the Showdown.
Carlton is hopeful Zac Williams will boost its midfield against Western Bulldogs, who will welcome back ruckman Tim English after his enforced week off due to concussion.
Meanwhile, a gun Cat is set to be sidelined for several weeks and Fremantle has been hit with more defensive issues.
Scroll down to see the full injury lists at every club.
ADELAIDE
Rory Sloane (eye) test
Will Hamill (foot) test
Luke Pedlar (groin) test
Luke Brown (Achilles) test
Tom Lynch (toe) ongoing assessment
Matt Crouch (groin) 1-2 weeks
Daniel Talia (foot) 5-6 weeks
Lachlan Gollant (finger) 6-7 weeks
Mitch Hinge (shoulder) season
Wayne Milera (knee) season
BRISBANE
Jarrod Berry (Groin) test
Cam Ellis-Yolmen (Shin) one week
Connor McFadyen (Knee) test
Lachie Neale (Ankle) 7 weeks
Archie Smith (Ankle) test
Ely Smith (Ankle) test
Henry Smith (Calf) test
Jack Payne (Foot) 1 week
Cam Rayner (Knee) season
CARLTON
Jack Carroll (thumb) test
Tom De Koning (back) test
Jack Silvagni (shoulder) test
Nic Newman (knee) test
Jack Martin (knee) 1-2 weeks
Brodie Kemp (foot) 2-3 weeks
Mitch McGovern (hamstring) TBC
Zac Fisher (ankle) 5-6 weeks
Oscar McDonald (back) 10-12 weeks
Charlie Curnow (knee) indefinite
Caleb Marchbank (knee) season
COLLINGWOOD
Levi Greenwood (concussion) test
Mason Cox (hamstring) test
Trent Bianco (knee) 1-2 weeks
Jeremy Howe (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Jamie Elliott (leg) 6-8 weeks
Taylor Adams (knee) 8-10 weeks
ESSENDON
Dylan Clarke (ankle) test
Aaron Francis (ankle) test
Andrew Phillips (soreness) test
Jye Caldwell (hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Sam Draper (ankle) 3-5 weeks
Dylan Shiel (knee) 8-10 weeks
Irving Mosquito (knee) indefinite
Michael Hurley (hip) indefinite
FREMANTLE
Heath Chapman (shoulder) test
Ethan Hughes (shoulder) TBC
Luke Ryan (calf) test
Adam Cerra (ankle) 1-2 weeks
Joel Hamling (ankle) test
Alex Pearce (knee) 1 week
Hayden Young (hamstring) 6-8 weeks
Sam Switkowski (finger) 3 weeks
Hayden Young (hamstring) 7-9 weeks
Stephen Hill (hamstring) 5-6 weeks
GEELONG CATS
Patrick Dangerfield (ankle) 5-7 weeks
Gryan Miers (fibula) TBC
Jake Kolodjashnij (knee) 1 week
Shaun Higgins (thumb/hamstring) available
Mark O’Connor (hamstring) 1-2 weeks
Francis Evans (ankle) 3-7 weeks
Cooper Stephens (ankle) 1 week
Nathan Kreuger (knee) test
GOLD COAST
Connor Budarick (Knee) season
Matt Conroy (Knee) season
Sam Day (Knee) indefinite
Elijah Hollands (Knee) indefinite
Jack Hombch (Calf) 3 weeks
Matt Rowell (Knee) 6 weeks
Luke Towey (Foot) 3 weeks
Jacob Townsend (Face) 1 week
Rory Thompson (Knee) season
Jarrod Witts (Knee) season
GWS GIANTS
Matt Buntine (Concussion) 1-2 weeks
Stephen Coniglio (Ankle) 6-8 weeks
Brent Daniels (Hamstring) 4-6 weeks
Phil Davis (Calf) 4 weeks
Matt de Boer (Hamstring) 6-7 weeks
Nick Haynes (Hamstring) 1-3 weeks
Tom Hutchesson (Hamstring) 1 week
Adam Kennedy (Shoulder) 5 weeks
Daniel Lloyd (Quadriceps) Available
Braydon Preuss (Shoulder) 3-5 weeks
Sam Reid (Hamstring) 2 weeks
Jake Stein (Thumb) 5-7 weeks
HAWTHORN
Lachie Bramble (Hamstring) 5-6 weeks
Shaun Burgoyne (Ankle) Test
Jon Ceglar (Ankle) 1-2 weeks
Will Day (Ankle) Indefinite
Denver Grainger-Barras (Knee) 4-6 weeks
Dan Howe (Soreness) Test
Seamus Mitchell (Ankle) Indefinite
Jaeger O’Meara (Soreness) Test
James Sicily (Knee) Indefinite
Chad Wingard (Soreness) Test
MELBOURNE
Jack Viney Toe 2-3 weeks
Marty Hore Knee Season
Bailey Laurie Eye 4-6 weeks
Aaron Nietschke Knee Season
Adam Tomlinson Knee Season
Joel Smith Knee 4-6 weeks
NORTH MELBOURNE
Aiden Bonar Corked thigh test
Jed Anderson Ankle 3-5 weeks
Charlie Comben Leg indefinite
Aidan Corr Toe TBC
Kyron Hayden Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Luke McDonald Pectoral 8-10 weeks
Matt McGuiness Foot TBC
Flynn Perez Knee Season
Jared Polec Hamstring 2-3 weeks
Phoenix Spicer Hamstring TBC
Robbie Tarrant Kidney indefinite
PORT ADELAIDE
Ollie Lord (calf) Test
Zak Butters (ankle) 3-4 weeks
Xavier Duursma (knee) 10-12 weeks
Lachie Jones (ankle) 3-4 weeks
Tom Rockliff (knee) 6-8 weeks
Jake Pasini (shoulder) 8-10 weeks
Jackson Mead (spleen) TBC
Trent Burgoyne (hamstring) TBC
RICHMOND
Nick Vlastuin (knee) available
Dustin Martin (concussion) available
Dylan Grimes (concussion) 1 week
Ryan Garthwaite (shoulder) 1-2 weeks
Kane Lambert (calf) 2-3 weeks
Dion Prestia (calf) 2-3 weeks
Trent Cotchin (hamstring) 3-4 weeks
Ivan Soldo (knee) 10-12 weeks
ST KILDA
Jarryn Geary (leg) 2-5 weeks
Dan Hannebery (calf) 2-5 weeks
Jade Gresham (Achilles) season
Ben Paton (leg) season
SYDNEY
Lance Franklin (Knee) Test
George Hewett (Concussion) Test
Lewis Melican (Hamstring) 2-3 weeks
Sam Naismith (Knee) 2 weeks
Dane Rampe (Finger) Test
Sam Reid (Calf) 2-3 weeks
Ben Ronke (Knee) TBC
WEST COAST
Shannon Hurn (calf) 2-3 weeks
Jeremy McGovern (groin) 1-2 weeks
Tom Barrass (shoulder) test
Liam Ryan (shin) 2-3 weeks
Jamie Cripps (ribs) test
Luke Shuey (hamstring) indefinite
Daniel Venables (concussion) TBC
Elliot Yeo (groin) TBC
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Tim English (concussion) test
Laitham Vandermeer (back) test
Bailey Williams (collarbone) 1 week
Ryan Gardner (shoulder) 1-2 weeks
Toby McLean (knee) 3-4 weeks
Ed Richards (ankle) 3-5 weeks
Lin Jong (hamstring) 10-12 weeks
Josh Dunkley (shoulder) 12-16 weeks
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