AFL 2023: Latest news on Essendon injuries and free agent Darcy Parish
Essendon’s hierarchy is consulting with Cricket Australia as it attempts to identify the cause of an injury toll that has sidelined three young key position stars with back stress fractures.
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Essendon’s hierarchy is consulting with Cricket Australia as it attempts to identify the cause of an injury toll that has sidelined three young key position stars with back stress fractures.
Essendon football boss Josh Mahoney confirmed to the Herald Sun on Monday he has conducted a series of reviews into the club’s management of young key position players with stress fractures.
He is now working with external consultants to ensure the club keeps its players fit and healthy after a trio of back stress fractures to Harrison Jones, Zach Reid and Nik Cox.
Essendon’s savage injury toll has seen its share of bad luck, with best-and-fairest winner Peter Wright dislocating his shoulder and top 10 pick Elijah Tsatas requiring knee surgery on the eve of the season.
But player managers have also begun asking questions of the Dons’ weights and fitness program given the identical issues to Harrison Jones, Zach Reid and Nik Cox.
Mahoney is reviewing the club’s program to ensure it is world’s best practice and made the first tweaks to the program last year after Reid’s first stress fracture in 2021.
Since then Cox and Jones have succumbed to identical back stress fractures and Reid suffered a second stress fracture in late 2022 that he has only just overcome.
Mahoney confirmed to the Herald Sun the club’s review as well as its use of external consultants as it seeks to maximise the club’s key position talent.
He said there was always a balance between trying to put weight on thin key positions players while also managing their loads.
He is hopeful more tweaks to the program this year in the second review will bring improved outcomes.
“We are looking over it and looking at opportunities to continue to seek external advice,” Mahoney said.
“We made modifications based on the preliminary work we did last year but we are looking to add to that. We are making sure we provide the best program for all of our players so we can maximise our potential.”
Cricket Australia has a level of expertise about back stress fractures given it works with young fast bowlers including Pat Cummins, who did not play a test between 2011-2017 in part because of recurring back stress fractures.
Key forward Jones has only just been ruled out long-term with a back stress fracture that will jeopardise his season, while Cox is only two weeks from returning to the VFL.
Reid is seen as the club’s long-term full back but returned from his own stress fracture and tore a hamstring and will be out for six weeks.
Essendon lost its strength and conditioning coach Alex Sakadjian to St Kilda recently so he could head up the Saints high performance team.
But Sakadjian was rated within Essendon and was legitimately poached rather than let go by the Dons, with the club having advertised for his replacement.
Essendon only has 11 players on its current injury list but they include key position players Reid, Jones, Wright, Jayden Laverde (shoulder) and James Stewart (foot, 8-9 weeks).
Jordan Ridley will return for Dreamtime at the ‘G on Saturday night after overcoming concussion but Jake Kelly will likely miss another week after suffering delayed concussion.
WHY LLOYD WOULD LET FREE AGENT PARISH WALK
Essendon has cleared Jordan Ridley and Dylan Shiel to take on Richmond in Saturday’s Dreamtime clash as coach Brad Scott backed in the AFL’s hard-line 11-day concussion protocol.
The Dons have now lost four consecutive games despite many bright patches within those defeats, eventually overwhelmed despite an excellent first half against Brisbane.
And the lengthy injury list prompted a Bombers legend to declare missing midfielder Darcy Parish “much more replaceable than you think” as he enters free agency.
Shiel had his ankle trapped under him in the centre square and limped off, but eventually returned to the contest and played out the game.
Scott said he had feared Shiel might have torn his syndesmosis given the nature of the collision but has backed the star midfielder to get up for Dreamtime at the ’G against Richmond.
He said club doctors had told him Shiel had only a rolled ankle, so he will continue to help lead the midfield alongside Zach Merrett in Parish’s absence.
Scott said defender Jake Kelly was ruled out with delayed concussion on Thursday, which means he will likely miss Saturday’s game under the 11-day concussion protocols.
He was to be tasked with taking on Charlie Cameron, but instead Andy McGrath made an excellent fist of the difficult match-up.
It means McGrath will likely take on a Richmond small like Shai Bolton on Saturday as the Tigers mid-forward hits top form after two strong showings.
Ridley is certain to return to help out the besieged defence, which cannot call upon Jayden Laverde (shoulder) or Zach Reid (hamstring).
But while he was fit to play against Brisbane, Scott backed in the concussion protocols which ensured he missed the game after a round 8 knock against Port Adelaide.
“He is fine. He did a really hard running session during the week which surprised me because normally players off concussion are not ready for that stuff and this is the real positive around the steps being made to protect players from concussion,” he said.
“Because there would have been no reason not to play him this week medically. He passed every test, recovered really well.
“If these protocols weren’t in place I suspect the medical staff would have cleared him to play but sometimes you have to protect players from themselves. We would have loved to have had him, but for him and the game it’s the right thing.”
The club’s midfield form without out-of-contract mid Parish against Brisbane saw Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd tell Nine he would consider letting the 25-year-old free agent leave for free agency compensation.
“Do they let Darcy Parish go and go after, in a trade, a gun centre half-back? Can we let go of a midfielder, because we are not going too bad in that area. Can we target someone who desperately needs a midfielder and we will give you a centre half-back? These guys are much more replaceable than you think. He has kicked one goal this year.”
Richmond captain Toby Nankervis ramped up his rehab off syndesmosis surgery and is an outside chance to take on Essendon but is more likely to play in round 11.
Jacob Hopper’s calf tear will mean Richmond will need to replace his onball output, while Tom Lynch will meet with his specialist on Monday after foot surgery.
If the metatarsal bone has healed he can begin running but teammate Jack Riewoldt said on Saturday he was only likely to return after the round 15 bye.
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Originally published as AFL 2023: Latest news on Essendon injuries and free agent Darcy Parish
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