AFL 2022: All the latest injury news from Round 20

Dylan Grimes is not expected to return unless Richmond plays finals, but the Tigers remain more hopeful around club champion Dustin Martin. Check out all the latest injury news.

Richmond co-captain Dylan Grimes has a “high hamstring strain” and is not expected to return this year unless the Tigers play finals.

The club on Tuesday gave an update on Grimes, who has undergone scans after being subbed out of Sunday’s win over Brisbane at the MCG.

Tigers physical performance manager Peter Burge said the club would know more later this week, but admitted it was ‘doubtful’ Grimes would play in the final three remaining home-and-away games.

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Dustin Martin is making solid process from his latest setback with the club predicting round 23 for his likely comeback.

“We’re in a situation at the moment when we’re getting some further investigation,” he said.

“He had some scans yesterday and it’s a high hamstring strain up around the upper tendon and the upper hamstring, an area where he’s had an issue in the past.

“10 years ago he had some surgery on that same area … at this stage it’s probably looking doubtful that he’s going to play in the last three home and away games of the season.

“So, we’re going to need to have a look at what lies beyond that.

“We’ll gather some information over the next couple of days and we’ll give everyone an update.”

Burge said the club was ‘hopeful’ triple Norm Smith medallist Dustin Martin (hamstring) would return in round 23.

“Dustin is progressing through a rehab phase still,” he said.

“We’re in a bit of a holding pattern with this one, he’s getting plenty of running volume into himself, but we’re still finding it a little challenging to progress his speed.

“Given the location of the injury, it means we have to build some more strength work in the gym and build his running base out here on the field.

“So, we’re not progressing his speed significantly this week.

Dylan Grimes after suffering a hamstring injury against the Brisbane Lions.

“In terms of return to play, it’s still very unclear.

“We’re hopeful (Round 23) is a possibility, but as time rolls on, if we’re not able to progress significantly in the next week or so, that starts to become a little less clear.

“We’re doing everything we can and Dustin’s working really hard, but we’re working with an injury that can be quite tricky and one that has challenged us quite a bit this year with some players.

“But, we’re looking at everything we’re doing and everything that we can do and we’ll push forward.”

Pies’ finals charge dealt major blow

Collingwood has been dealt a major injury blow in its charge towards the finals after vice-captain Taylor Adams was ruled out for the rest of the home-and-away season.

Scans revealed Adams suffered an adductor strain in Saturday’s win over Port Adelaide, the Magpies confirmed on Monday.

Adams injured himself in the second quarter of the six-point win against the Power at the MCG and was subbed out of the match.

The Magpies said the 28-year-old midfielder would be assessed “in the coming weeks” to determine his return date.

It is a significant out for the Magpies ahead of their blockbuster clash against reigning premier Melbourne at the MCG on Friday night.

Taylor Adams has been ruled out for the rest of the minor round. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

But high-flying defender Jeremy Howe is still a chance to face the Demons after suffering a corked upper leg against the Power.

The Magpies said Howe, who spent the final quarter of Saturday’s clash on the bench, would complete limited training on Tuesday before his fitness is assessed on Thursday.

Magpies’ high performance manager Jarrod Wade said the extent of the groin injury meant Adams’ regular season was finished.

“Obviously we had Taylor Adams who was subbed out of the game with an adductor injury, he has since had scans on that over the weekend and had a confirmed adductor strain,” Wade said.

“Unfortunately that probably means Taylor’s regular season is done and we’ll just have to assess how he goes through the rehab process.

“In the initial phase, it is about having three or four days to let the symptoms settle and what he is feeling right now settle. Then it is about getting to work and starting the rehab process.

“We’ll just have to assess how that is as we get towards the end of the season and how he is functioning in regards to training and playing. But at this stage, it looks like that’s Taylor out for the end of the regular season.”

Brodie Grundy in action during his VFL return. Picture: David Crosling

Collingwood is hopeful key forward Brody Mihocek, who missed the Round 20 clash with a hip injury, will be available to take on the Demons but will assess him on Thursday.

The club said ruckman Brodie Grundy would also be assessed later in the week to see how he has recovered after he played into the fourth quarter of his VFL return last weekend.

“We know that he has spent a lot of time out, those 14 or 15 weeks on the sidelines, he has got your typical bumps and bruises from having his first game back,” Wade said.

“He played well into the fourth quarter which is really positive for him. We will just assess those bumps and bruises over the course of this week and see where that leads to selection later in the week.”

Collingwood faces Sydney and Carlton in its final two games of the home-and-away season. The Magpies sit third on the ladder after stretching their winning streak to 10 games with their win over the Power.

SuperCoach pain as rookie rubbed out for two

—Nick Smart

West Coast rookie Jai Culley can accept a two-game ban after being charged with striking for an errant elbow on Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson.

Culley, who has been one of the Eagles’ shining lights this year, threw his arm out and collected Anderson during the second term of his side’s loss to the Suns at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.

Popular SuperCoach cheapie Jai Culley has been suspended. Picture: Getty Images

The incident was assessed as medium impact, high contact and intentional.

Culley was playing in just his third AFL game after being snapped up in the mid-season draft.

Richmond stars Trent Cotchin and Marlion Pickett copped fines for misconduct and rough conduct respectively.

Essendon’s Jake Kelly (melee) and Kangaroos’ pair Charlie Lazzaro (rough conduct) and Jed Anderson (melee) will also pay fines.

Why life looks even more bleak for Blues

—Jon Ralph

Michael Voss and his Carlton side will venture to his former home ground to take on Brisbane likely to be without three first-choice players and the club’s top-four hopes in tatters.

Voss was furious with the club’s lack of contest strength in a humbling 29-point loss to Adelaide amid a litany of broken tackles and missed opportunities.

Carlton is now a win and percentage out of the top four and with only 12 wins needs another victory against the Lions, Melbourne or Collingwood to guarantee a finals spot.

Star midfielder Matt Kennedy has already been ruled out of the clash against Brisbane at the Gabba after a head clash against Adelaide’s Will Hamill put him in the concussion protocols.

Classy defender Nic Newman limped off with a deep and severe cut to his knee that required stitches and will likely keep him out against the Lions.

Corey Durdin tackles Sam Berry before being subbed off after injuring his shoulder.

Newman’s cut to the top of his knee cap was considered especially nasty given the depth and length of the cut and immediately required extensive stitches.

He needed more care back in Melbourne on Sunday to ensure the wound was clear of infection.

Given the wound was on top of his knee he might need some weeks out of the game before he can get movement back in his leg without reinjuring the site of the stitches.

The Blues had already subbed off Corey Durdin after he lost strength in his shoulder and while the small forward was not in a sling on Sunday morning he might also be in significant doubt.

Carlton’s injury issues mean Jack Silvagni, who came on as the medical sub, will likely hold his spot in the side after making an impact in the second quarter.

In the VFL on Saturday Brodie Kemp had 18 possessions, Paddy Dow 22 and a goal, defender Sam Durdin took eight marks and Jack Martin had 16 possessions after a season full of soft-tissue injuries.

Matthew Kennedy has already been ruled out of the clash against Brisbane after a head clash at the weekend.

The Blues battled to move the ball well and didn’t cash in on a forward line with three key talls.

But coach Voss, one of the AFL’s contested beasts, sheeted home the blame to the club’s lack of inside grunt.

“It was a really difficult exercise to be able to work out what that forward of centre needs to look like for us,” Voss said.

“We had some difficulty getting out of the (back half) and when it was our turn to defend hard and get pressure on the ball and bring numbers inside 50 we couldn’t do it.

They just had a greater desire than us. There’s not too many games this year where we’ve walked away and lost the ground ball number that we did, there’s not too many games where we’ve been on the negative side of contested possession.

“That effort, work rate, outnumber and winning contests … that’s got to be the cornerstone of your game every time you play. We just didn’t get any flow on the game.”

Hawk suspended in bizarre twin tackle

Hawthorn’s Changkuouth Jiath has been suspended in another test case for protection of the head after a bizarre twin tackle on St Kilda’s Jack Steele.

The brilliant Hawthorn defender dumped Steele’s head into the ground in the Marvel Stadium incident and has been offered a one-week ban despite not starting the tackle.

Hawthorn midfielder Jaeger O’Meara pinned Steele’s arms and put him in a vulnerable position but Jiath then joined the scrum and pulled Steele to the ground.

The AFL continues to crack down on dangerous tackles and he was responsible for the contact given he had a duty of care not to put Steele in jeopardy.

The contact was assessed as to the head and medium impact, which means Jiath will miss against Gold Coast on Saturday unless Hawthorn contests the penalty.

GWS ruckman Braydon Preuss dodged a fourth suspension of the year after his late hit on Sydney’s James Rowbottom was judged to be body contact rather than a high bump.

The low-impact careless rough conduct charge to the body means he will take on Essendon next week after three separate one-week bans this year.

Sydne’s Dayne Rampe is free to take on North Melbourne after his high tackle on GWS midfielder Tim Taranto was judged as low impact, which saw him fined rather than suspended.

Another win for Pies as Grundy gets physical in VFL return

Brodie Grundy made a successful VFL return on Saturday from his PCL setback, amassing 11 disposals and 21 hit-outs before calling it a day early in the last quarter.

The two-time All-Australian had a strong physical presence throughout the game at Victoria Park, recording a team-high eight tackles, as well as being at the centre of a couple of brawls.

Grundy seemed to split his time between ruck, forward and the bench relatively evenly as the Magpies didn’t overly exert their star ruckman in his first game since Anzac Day.

“He took a big step forward today. We thought he needed the run … and by all reports was getting better as the game was going on,” Collingwood coach Craig McRae said after the senior side’s seven-point win over the Power.

“I watched two quarters of that game and was happy with what I saw. He got into a little scuffle and got the bumps and bruises you need to, which you can’t get at training.

“We’re trying to set him up. Whether that’s six days’ time, we’ll see how he pulls up. But we were really pleased he got through today.”

Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy made a successful VFL return on Saturday. Picture: David Crosling

Grundy finished with 21 hit-outs against Southport. Picture: David Crosling

There was the odd fumble and a 50m penalty he gave away for slinging a Southport player to the ground, but Grundy will take great confidence out of making it through the match injury free and, while a decision is still to be made, will be a strong chance to return for next week’s blockbuster clash with Melbourne.

Mason Cox will almost certainly make way for Grundy when he returns, but McRae left the door ajar for Darcy Cameron, Grundy and Cox to play together if Mihocek fails to prove his fitness.

Taylor Adams will be sent for scans on his groin injury but McRae expects Jeremy Howe (corked buttock) to be fine to face reigning premier Melbourne on Friday night.

Brody Mihocek (hip) is also on track to return.

PIES WIN ANOTHER THRILLER: ALL THE FALLOUT FROM THE MCG

Meanwhile, McRae has called for everyone to “look after” Jack Ginnivan after the livewire forward admitted his year in the headlines is taking a mental toll.

Ginnivan’s been a lightning rod for football debate since filming the Magpies’ round 1 post-match celebrations with a GoPro and kicking five goals on Anzac Day.

The bleached-blond 19-year-old was caught in a Tik Tok storm and even played a leading role in the AFL issuing a clarification last week on its high tackle rule after he mastered the ability to draw free kicks.

But Ginnivan’s comments after kicking three goals in Collingwood’s six-point defeat of Port Adelaide on Saturday, which sealed the club’s finals berth, were enough to give McRae pause.

“We’re conscious of this. We see him and we try to protect him. We get to a point where we say, ‘Maybe enough is enough; let’s look after this kid’,” McRae said.

“He’s creating all these stories and, again, we’ve got to look at what we can control around that. He’s a 19-year-old kid and he’s saying his mental health’s been strained. Let’s look after him, hey?”

Jack Ginnivan booted three goals on Saturday. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

McRae went on to praise Ginnivan’s “great” preparation and said he may have been unlucky again with some contentious non-calls.

“This is the story that keeps rolling on,” he said.

“The way we look at it is you’re going to get some right and get some wrong, and Jack keeps putting himself in the situation where he’s a bit of a spotlight for this stuff.

“This is another great lesson for him, and all of us. I thought there were a couple of opportunities that free kicks were not paid potentially and we just got on with it. You have to – what if it’s a grand final?”

Originally published as AFL 2022: All the latest injury news from Round 20