AFL: Kangaroos hopeful Waite will be back

North Melbourne remains hopeful veteran star Jarrad Waite will be able to recover from a calf injury in time to play a role later this year.

Young Nick Larkey could come into the Kangaroos line-up for Jarrad Waite

North Melbourne remains hopeful veteran star Jarrad Waite will be able to recover from a calf injury in time to play a role later this year.

In a blow that casts a shadow over the Kangaroos’ finals chances and Waite’s hopes of continuing on into a 17th season next year, the 35-year-old re-injured the muscle at training.

Waite was the latest of several withdrawals from the team that defeated Brisbane in round 11, pulling out after feeling tightness in the muscle during a warm-up.

The Kangaroos proceeded with caution, resting him from the following week’s clash against Geelong before the bye and were hopeful he would be fit to play against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Waite said at the end of the season he would consider whether to play on next year.

“I just tried to do a little run and didn’t quite pull up (well),” he said. “I just have to respect the injury now. It is obviously not ideal, but I am going to rehab it and get it strong and hopefully play some good footy in the second half of the year.”

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott flagged the prospect of Nick Larkey, who played two games late last season, replacing Waite.

There is no doubt the Kangaroos are a better side with the agile and versatile former Blue playing, though there has always been concerns about his durability.

He has managed to play at least 20 games in a season only four times in his 16 years.

Waite has played 56 games at North Melbourne after being lured from Carlton at a negligible cost, with the Kangaroos posting 35 wins with him in the side. He has played in five wins from his nine matches this year and booted 22 goals.

He missed only two games in his first season at Arden Street in 2015, playing in 15 wins from 23 matches in a season where the Kangaroos reached a preliminary final. In 2016, when North Melbourne won their first nine games, Waite featured in 11 wins and three losses.

It is no coincidence their sharp decline in the latter stages of the season corresponded with his absence.

Last year, they won four of the 10 games he ran out in as the injury woes that afflicted him at Carlton again became apparent.

North Melbourne defender Majak Daw emphasised Waite’s importance earlier this week when he forecast his return for the Bulldogs clash at the Docklands.

“He’s such a link between defence and attack, so it will be good to have him back,” Daw said.

And former Saint and North Melbourne star Nick dal Santo said Waite’s absence could have an impact on the form of Ben Brown, who leads the Coleman Medal tally with 35 goals.

“I think with one of them out, the other one gets exposed a bit,” he told SEN.

Kangaroos football manager Cameron Joyce said the club’s medical staff was working to “get a clearer picture on his injury and expected recovery time”.

“Given his age and injury history, it’s important that we adopt a conservative approach and ensure that we have him back to full fitness and available to play,” he said.

It is the second piece of bad news on the injury front that the Kangaroos have experienced this week.

Emerging talent Taylor Garner, who kicked 16 goals last season, has not played a match this year due to hamstring problems.

He suffered another hamstring problem in a VFL match against Geelong a fortnight ago.

Given his history — he missed the whole of 2014 with hamstring woes — it is doubtful he will be manage to play this season.

The Kangaroos sit in eighth position after the bye.

Should they reproduce their form in the first half of the season, they have an opportunity to entrench themselves in the eight given matches against the Western Bulldogs, Essendon and the Gold Coast over the next three weeks.