Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich in doubt for Brisbane Lions after injury setbacks against North Melbourne

UPDATE: BRISBANE has confirmed skipper Tom Rockliff will miss the next two weeks with a calf injury, while Daniel Rich and Mitch Robinson are still 50-50 to take on the Cats.

SPORT - AFL Round 1, West Coast Eagles vs Brisband Lions, Subiaco Oval, Perth. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. PICTURED- Brisbane's Tom Rockliff grabs his injured arm as he leaves the field after the 44 point loss

BRISBANE has confirmed skipper Tom Rockliff will miss the next two weeks with a calf injury.

Scans on Monday confirmed Rockliff strained his right calf from Saturday night’s loss against North Melbourne and comes on the back of similar back-related hamstring tightness that kept him out of the NAB Challenge.

He also has nasty bone bruising in a forearm.

However, Daniel Rich (hamstring) and Mitch Robinson (calf) remain 50-50 propositions to make the trip to the Cattery this Sunday.

The Lions take on arch-rivals, the Suns, in the Q Clash the following week which could also influence selection of players who are not 100 per cent.

Before confirmation of Rockliff’s injury, football manager Matthew Francis said it was unlikely Rockliff would play against the Cats.

“Rocky is probably doubtful now more than questionable but we are still half a chance with Richie,’’ he said.

Daniel Rich is racing the clock to be fit for the clash against Geelong.

“We’ll have to see how he progresses in the coming days.

“Mitch Robinson is also touch and go.’’

Lions coach Justin Leppitsch lamented the “perfect storm’’ that saw most of his leaders well down on Saturday, including vice-captain Daniel Merrett who gave away four free kicks.

Merrett may also come under the microscope of the MRP for clumsy high contact on Kangaroos forward Jarrad Waite.

Rockliff, who took an arm injury into the match, said the buck stopped with the Lions’ senior core.

“The leaders didn’t grab hold of the game when it was there to be won and North got the momentum. We needed to stand up and wrestle that momentum back,’’ he said.

“With such a young group, it is up to us to take control of the game.’’

Despite a number of costly turnovers and poor kicking at goal, Rockliff said the Lions could not afford to get frustrated with themselves.

“The focus has to stay on the continued development of the group. There are always going to be errors with a young group but the effort was there,’’ he said.

“We’ve played two very good, mature teams in the first two weeks and we face another one in Geelong.

“If we had been 7.6 instead of 2.11 against North Melbourne it may have been a different story. It would have put them under pressure and they may have dropped their bundle.

“But they capitalised on us missing a few shots and went down the other end and kicked a few.

“It was a little deflating but the young boys kept fighting out the game which is a real positive.’’

First-year midfielder Ben Keays is a possibility to make his AFL debut if Rockliff, Rich and/or Robinson are not available after racking up 39 disposals in the NEAFL on Saturday.

Jaden McGrath and Nick Robertson were the other standouts for the Lions reserves in an otherwise forgettable 122-point loss to Sydney at Burpengary.

Originally published as Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich in doubt for Brisbane Lions after injury setbacks against North Melbourne