Geelong skipper Joel Selwood latest to fall to AFL’s 2020 curse

AFL coaches are concerned about the potential for injuries in coming weeks as the league seeks to compress rounds.

Geelong coach Chris Scott continues to lose players to soft-tissue injuries.

Clubs are bracing for a spike in soft tissue injuries as the AFL and players union close on an agreement that will enable the league to fast-track the remainder of its season.

The league wants to play four rounds of football in less than three calendar weeks from Round 9 and will also look to compress the fixture beyond that to reduce the hub costs it is covering after Victoria was abandoned.

With the weekly spend to base Victorian clubs estimated at $4m, the AFL is determined to play the final 98 games of the regular season in the most cost-effective manner.

However, the AFL Players Association wants clubs to lift a freeze that is preventing clubs from negotiating contracts with players for 2021 and beyond.

They fear fringe players in particular could put their livelihoods at risk should they suffer a serious injury later in a season where the potential for problems is more likely.

An injured Joel Selwood on the bench. Picture: Channel 7

Discussions were continuing on Friday as Melbourne and Richmond players who had remained in Victoria initially due to injury flew north to the Gold Coast to begin quarantine.

Wives, partners and children were among the 150 aboard a flight north with Victorian clubs set to be based in Queensland until late September at least.

The fears concerning a potential spike in injuries stem from the fact players will be asked to play more regularly at a period where training and normal life are completely out of rhythm.

While Geelong coach Chris Scott said he was reluctant to accept his initial “gut feel” regarding recent hamstring injuries at the Cats, other coaches are concerned.

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Cats skipper Joel Selwood became the third Geelong player in a week to damage a hamstring before limping from Optus Stadium during the loss to Collingwood on Thursday.

Veteran midfielder Mitch Duncan and Quinton Narkle suffered similar injuries a week earlier in the victory over Brisbane in Sydney.

Selwood joins several other stars on the sidelines due to the soft-tissue scourge. They include Brownlow Medallists Trent Cotchin and Nat Fyfe.

Sydney superstar Lance Franklin is another absent due to a serious hamstring injury.

Eagles skipper Luke Shuey and Kangaroos captain Jack Ziebell return this week after recovering from hamstring injuries.

Giants coach Leon Cameron, who becomes a life member of the club on Saturday when he coaches his 150th game in the clash against Brisbane, is among those concerned at the impact of this unusual season.

GWS coach Leon Cameron leads his 150th game. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The Giants, who will be without star Toby Greene due to a shin issue, had eight players on their injured list this week, four of them with hamstring problems.

“When they dropped that draw, talking about squeezing as much footy in as possible, there is no doubt that is going to be a management challenge,” Cameron told RSN 927.

“You are playing a (reduced) quarter but the intensity has lifted even more than it was last year and with intensity comes injury.

“We saw Selwood injured last night. When you have those durable players having those soft-tissue (injuries), you know the challenges are coming thick and fast.”

Geelong is hopeful Joel Selwood has avoided a serious hamstring strain, but are sweating on Jordan Clark’s shoulder scans. https://t.co/X0IK4g6rHh

— AFL (@AFL) July 16, 2020

High-performance expert David Buttifant, who was Mick Malthouse’s right-hand man at Collingwood, warned players would be more susceptible to soft-tissue damage unless managed carefully.

Former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna said an act as simple as sleeping in an unfamiliar bed on road trips could be disruptive and have an impact if players were unable to adjust.

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said it appeared injuries were “popping up more” and believes “that’s going to play a tremendous role in who’s going well at the right end of the year”.

Scott said the Cats will assess their preparation over the past fortnight to see if there is a reason for the hamstring issues suffered by their players.

But he is reluctant to attribute blame nor state there is an unwanted trend developing, acknowledging it could “just be bad luck”.

“I’m going to try and avoid my gut feel and take a slow response to these hamstring issues,” he said.

“These things happen. It’s the most common injury in the AFL (and it) has been for a long time. I’m just trying to avoid the situation where we get really frustrated by it.”

Fagan, meanwhile, believes the uncertainty of the season at large has been a bonus in terms of making matches unpredictable.

“There’s a thousand-and-one questions. That’s what makes it a fantastic competition this year,” he said.

“I reckon when you turn the telly on each night to watch a game, you don’t really know who’s going to win. It’s great for the fans.”