AFL finals injury news: Sam Frost, Gary Rohan ruled out of finals campaigns
Hawthorn’s backline has taken a massive hit with full back Sam Frost ruled out for the rest of the season ahead of the Hawks’ date with Charlie Dixon and Port Adelaide.
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Hawthorn full back Sam Frost will join star midfielder Will Day on the sidelines from its semi-final side in a development that will test Sam Mitchell’s backline against Port Adelaide.
The Hawks are preparing to rule out star midfielder Will Day from its semi-final side as early as Monday but on Sunday confirmed Frost would miss the rest of the season with foot bone stress.
He limped off the field at one stage against the Western Bulldogs, with his injury throwing open all manner of options for the Hawks.
Mitchell could recall Changkuoth Jiath or consider one of the club’s established back-up talls, with Ethan Phillips winning 20 possessions last week in the VFL and Jai Serong amassing 29 touches and 10 marks.
Serong has had an excellent VFL season and was an emergency against the Dogs while Philips is a like-for-like full back who made his debut against the Power this year in his only AFL game.
Jiath is coming back from a calf issue and while he was only modest in his VFL return last week he is training the house down.
Hawthorn club doctor Liam West said of Frost’s setback: “Unfortunately, the scans have confirmed that Sam has a bone stress injury in his foot, and given his specific injury, he will not be able to take any further part in our 2024 finals campaign”.
“Sam will spend the next period offloading in a moon boot whilst we continue to assess him to determine a more accurate recovery timeline.”
But Josh Ward’s brilliant finals debut should allow him to hold his spot even if Cam Mackenzie is available.
Day did not train with the Hawthorn group at Waverley on Sunday as he worked on his conditioning indoors.
But he has done no contact work on his complicated collarbone injury and the Hawks will make another early call to rule him out.
They successfully dodged any distractions over his availability last week, then had his inside midfielder replacement Cam Mackenzie suffer a hamstring issue on Wednesday.
His scans showed only low-level muscle damage so he will push to be available to take on Port Adelaide on Friday night in a cut-throat semi-final.
But the club’s No.7 draft pick Josh Ward played one of the games of his career as he played more inside midfield in Day’s absence.
He won 22 possessions, had nine tackles, five clearances and four centre square clearances against the Western Bulldogs.
With the Hawks dodging any fresh injuries Ward seems likely to hold his spot ahead of Mackenzie.
Emergency Changkuoth Jiath is a point of difference as an explosive half back or wingman but seems unlikely to find a spot in the side despite returning from injury through the VFL last week.
Amid the club’s resurgence from 0-5, the star turn from former Fremantle ruckman Lloyd Meek has been one of the shining lights.
He beat All Australian ruckman Tim English and had a career-best 23 possessions to go with his 46 hitouts and a goal.
While Fremantle has been criticised for trading him (for Jaeger O’Meara) two years ago, he was not even in the club’s round 1 side.
Coach Sam Mitchell said his improvement was testament to his own work rate as he becomes a huge headache for Port Adelaide.
“Meeky is another one with a good story. He didn’t start in the team. He started at Box Hill in the early phase of the year, and the new ruck rule that you could come across the line with more freedom. From a work ethic point of view, no one would outwork Meeky so when you have that and he played his 50th game seven years in, he’s earnt every one of his 50.
“He has earned every one of those games and when you back it up, you have a level of confidence you know what you are going to get.”
PREMIERSHIP HERO TO MISS FINALS CAMPAIGN
Geelong’s 2022 finals hero Gary Rohan has confirmed he fractured his skull in a VFL clash that has likely ended his participation in this year’s campaign.
Rohan played VFL last weekend and was an emergency in the Cats’ qualifying final victory against Port Adelaide then played VFL against Southport in the Saturday morning GMHBA Stadium semi-final.
But he lasted only a quarter before copping a glancing elbow to the head that saw him ruled out with was assumed to be only concussion.
His opponent was backing into the pack and hit Rohan in a completely accidental hit.
He revealed on Instagram that he had a fractured skull which would need surgery as he posted a photo with his partner in hospital.
The Cats will play a preliminary final the weekend after next but he will need to spend time on the sidelines recovering.
Rohan is yet to sign a new deal for the 2025 season but will have his place in Geelong hearts after his three-goal qualifying final including a 55-metre bomb late in the contest.
He posted on Instagram: “Not the place I had planned to spend my weekend. Scans have confirmed a fractured skull but I am doing well and in the best hands. Now just waiting on surgery. Thank you for all the messages and best wishes.”
Sam De Koning, Cam Guthrie and Tom Hawkins all survived unscathed in the VFL clash and will hope to have put their best foot forward for a preliminary final recall on Saturday week.
But Hawkins looks unlikely to return given the Cats’ hot form and lack of fresh injuries from their Port Adelaide victory.
Tom Stewart is a certainty to return after suffering sickness on top of his hamstring injury.
The Cats consider that he is a certain starter with two more weeks rest, while De Koning has now had two games back from his knee surgery.
Scott said post-match he was happy the club had made the decision not to play Stewart or De Koning.
“If we took a risk with those guys and it backfired it wouldn’t have been impossible, but the degree of difficulty would’ve gone through the roof,” Scott said.
“The plan was to be conservative with those guys and hopefully still win the game, so we’re feeling good about that decision now, but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves.”
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