Sydney hit with double injury blow with Jarrad McVeigh to miss six weeks and Dan Hannebery three

SYDNEY’s top-four hopes have been hit by a significant double injury blow with veteran Jarrad McVeigh to miss six weeks with a fractured collarbone and Dan Hannebery to also be sidelined with a calf injury.

Sydney's Jarrad McVeigh injured during AFL match between the Sydney Swans and Geelong Cats at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

THE Sydney Swans’ finals chances have taken a massive hit with the full extent of the damage from Thursday night’s 12-point loss to Geelong revealed in scans and in surgery.

Jarrad McVeigh has had a plate attached to his fractured collarbone and will be out for six matches and Dan Hannebery will miss three weeks with a calf strain.

In much better news, Kieren Jack is a chance of lining up against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium next Sunday.

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McVeigh’s absence is by far the biggest loss, with the veteran defender in outstanding form this year. The 33-year-old is Sydney’s fourth leading possession-getter, averaging 21.9 per game.

“It is always difficult this far out to put a hard and fast prognosis on it but we will say six weeks,” Swans football manager Tom Harley said.

“He will have a plate inserted, recover from the surgery and rehab accordingly.”

Sydney's Jarrad McVeigh injured during AFL match between the Sydney Swans and Geelong Cats at the SCG. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Hannebery picked up his calf injury early in the match against the Cats but was forced to play on hurt because Jack was ruled out of action in the first quarter.

The strain is similar to the one Hannebery suffered during pre-season.

“We are certainly not going to rush him back,” Harley said.

“We will give him every opportunity to get himself fully fit and really effect the remaining month of the season.

“We will let the injury recover and then probably put another week on top of that so he can get some good training and match conditioning under his belt.”

Jack’s outcome is much better than feared initially and the 10-day break before the clash with the Kangaroos working in his favour.

“It is a grade one medial so we will assess him later in the week,” Harley said.

Dan Hannebery will miss three weeks with a calf injury.

“With a medial ligament injury, the tackiness of the ligament is the key and he had one a couple of years ago so we know what we are dealing with there.

“We certainly haven’t ruled him out for this week and given the ten day break before the North Melbourne game we will give him every opportunity.”

The Swans will lose their spot in the top four should Port Adelaide beat St Kilda on Saturday at Adelaide Oval. Their hold on the top eight is also looking tenuous with North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Adelaide and Essendon all pushing hard.

The loss to the Cats makes it back-to-back defeats for John Longmire’s men for the first time since their 0-6 start to 2017.

Their cause will be helped by the expected return of Isaac Heeney from concussion, while Tom Papley is also a chance of recovering from a hip injury and Sam Reid will play his second game in the NEAFL after recovering from a quad tear.

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Originally published as Sydney hit with double injury blow with Jarrad McVeigh to miss six weeks and Dan Hannebery three