AFL Hurt Locker: Injury news and updates throughout Round 5
Carlton coach Michael Voss has provided an update on when he expects Patrick Cripps to return to the field - an update met with general disbelief.
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Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps is back running and “should” miss only one match as he recovers from a hamstring strain, coach Michael Voss says.
The Blues waited until late in the week to rule Cripps out of Sunday’s clash with Port Adelaide at the MCG after he was subbed out in the first quarter of last week’s shock loss to Gold Coast.
Challenged on the likelihood of Cripps missing just one week – as has been the disbelieving tone in the AFL world in recent days – Voss was adamant the club’s medical team was confident in its prognosis.
“The assessment that we’ve had, which has been pretty thorough, is that he should be right to go next week,” Voss said.
“Early on, we were hopeful that it was going to be so minor that we might be able to get him up for this week.
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“He overstretched for a ball and got a little bit tight in that area, but certainly no major damage was there, so that gives him a chance for next week.”
They expect to know more about Cripps’ availability by the end of this weekend, but Voss said Cripps would have to prove he could train before putting his hand up for Saturday week’s match against Fremantle in Perth.
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Carlton will regain Marc Pittonet (back) and has turned to one-time prized draftee Paddy Dow as Cripps’ midfield replacement after his encouraging VFL form.
“He’s been impressive. The disadvantage to Paddy is the players who have been in his spot have been going pretty good and they’ve had a large body of work,” Voss said.
“I’m having weekly discussions with him about where he’s at and what he’s doing and it’s the same with the other guys.
“What they’ve all taken a position on is, ‘I’m going to make myself ready and when you need me, I’m good to go’. I really love their collective attitude towards that.”
Voss remains close with Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley after working under him for seven years but they avoided each other this week “as competitors”.
“I’ve got a great relationship with a lot of people at Port. I’ve got a lot of friends there,” he said.
“But we’re also in the performance industry and we’ve got jobs to do.
“He’s got a job this week to get his team playing the way he wants. I’ve got a job for this team to make sure that we can get and correct a few things from last week and really play at our best.”
Voss hasn’t delved too deeply into his Power knowledge base in the lead-in, having spent most of his time focusing on what went wrong in the Suns game after the Blues won their first three games this year.
“We did go away from some of the things that have worked for us, but I think it’s just, in some ways, a reinforcement back to what we’ve done well so far,” he said.
“What it’s very easy to do is just focus on the one week and what turned up on that week and that’s where you pay all your attention to.
“But what I’ve been really impressed with, with this group, is that we’ve actually consistently been able to implement our game style over a short time.
“It was missing a fair bit, mainly around our contest method and in our pressure we were able to put on the ball, so that put other parts of our game at stress and we need to make sure that we bring it this week.”
ADELAIDE
Mitch Hinge – Hip – test
Andrew McPherson – Hamstring – test
Zac Taylor – Thumb – 3-4 weeks
Paul Seedsman – Concussion – ongoing
BRISBANE
Keidean Coleman – Hamstring – 2-4 weeks
Eric Hipwood – Knee – 6-8 weeks
CARLTON
Jack Carroll – H & S protocols – Available
David Cuningham – Knee – 9-13 weeks
Ed Curnow – Knee – 2-3 weeks
Patrick Cripps – Hamstring – 1 week
Corey Durdin – H & S protocols – Available
Josh Honey – Knee – Test
Caleb Marchbank – Knee – 1-3 weeks
Oscar McDonald – Back – Test
Mitch McGovern – Hamstring – 2-3 weeks
Jesse Motlop – H & S protocols – Available
Marc Pittonet – Back – Test
Tom Williamson – H & S protocols – Available
Carlton is breathing a sigh of relief with skipper Patrick Cripps receiving positive news about the hamstring tightness which caused him to be subbed out of last week’s clash with Gold Coast.
There were fears Cripps could miss a number of weeks, but scans have revealed no significant damage.
The decision to get the star midfielder off the ground as soon as he felt some tightness may have worked in his favour.
While Cripps is keen to return as soon as possible and hasn’t given up hope of playing in Sunday’s clash with Port Adelaide, the Blues will more than likely take a cautious approach.
That means Cripps could potentially return for the Round 6 clash with Fremantle in Perth.
The Blues will also monitor Oscar McDonald throughout the week to see if he has recovered from his back issue.
-Glenn McFarlane
COLLINGWOOD
Taylor Adams – H & S protocols – Available
Aiden Begg – Concussion – 1 week
Charlie Dean – Foot – 5-6 weeks
Jamie Elliott – Shoulder – 12 weeks
Jack Ginnivan – Soreness – 1 week
Ash Johnson – Hamstring – 9 weeks
Nathan Kreuger – Shoulder – Available
Beau McCreery – Hip – 1 week
Brody Mihocek – H & S protocols – 1 week
Nathan Murphy – Ankle – 4-5 weeks
Jordan Roughead – Shoulder – Available
Trey Ruscoe – Plantaris – 1-2 weeks
Collingwood coach Craig McRae admits the Magpies will need to get “creative” on Thursday night with forwards Brody Mihocek and Jack Ginnivan to miss the trip to Brisbane.
Mihocek (Covid protocols) and Ginnivan (sore) will join star Jamie Elliott (AC joint) on the sidelines this week, in what is a huge blow to the Magpies’ forward set-up for their clash with the Lions.
American Mason Cox and former Cat Nathan Kreuger, along with Taylor Adams and Jordan De Goey, loom as almost certain inclusions for the Easter Thursday blockbuster at the Gabba.
-Nick Smart
ESSENDON
Nik Cox – Ankle – Test
Harry Jones – Ankle – Test
Jake Stringer – Hamstring – Short term
James Stewart – Calf – Medium term
Will Snelling – Calf – Medium term
Zach Merrett – Ankle – Medium term
Patrick Voss – Foot – Medium term
Kyle Langford – Hamstring – Long term
Michael Hurley – Hip – Indefinite
Star Essendon forward Jake Stringer will be sidelined for at least another week with a hamstring injury.
Bombers coach Ben Rutten on Wednesday said that Stringer. who missed Essendon’s win over Adelaide last weekend, would also be unavailable for Sunday’s clash against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium.
“It’s a worry because he’s not available, (but) I don’t think it’s a long term issue for us,” Rutten said.
“We’ll just keep building him up and make sure we set him up for the rest of the season.”
-Marco Monteverde
FREMANTLE
Alex Pearce – ankle – test
Caleb Serong – knee – test
Darcy Tucker – concussion – test
Nat Fyfe – back – TBA
Matthew Johnson – ankle – TBA
Fremantle young gun Caleb Serong is confident he will be fit to play against Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
Serong has missed the past two games with a minor knee injury after copping a knock in round one, forcing the midfielder to watch from the sidelines as his side recorded good wins over West Coast and Greater Western Sydney.
The 21-year-old is one of three players in line to return against the Bombers, with Alex Pearce (ankle) and Darcy Tucker (concussion) needing to get through training on Thursday to be declared fit for the round five clash.
-Mitchell Woodcock/West Australian
GEELONG
Jon Ceglar – Foot – 8-12 weeks
Toby Conway – Hip TBC
Shaun Higgins – Concussion – Test
Flynn Kroeger – Hip – TBC
Sam Menegola – Concussion – Test
Quinton Narkle – Ankle – Test
Esava Ratugolea – Ankle – Test
Gary Rohan – Back and hip – 2-3 months
Sam Simpson – Concussion – TBC
Tom Stewart – Gastro – Available
James Willis – Knee – TBC
Geelong is confident Quinton Narkle has avoided a long-term injury to his ankle but the midfielder is set to miss Easter Monday’s blockbuster clash with Hawthorn.
Star duo Joel Selwood (rested) and Tom Stewart (gastro) are ready to return for the Cats to face their traditional rivals after missing Friday night’s win over the Brisbane Lions.
Forward Esava Ratugolea is in the frame after missing the Lions clash with an ankle injury of his own and he will be tested later in the week.
-Josh Barnes
GOLD COAST
Jy Farrar – Hamstring- Test
Jack Lukosius – Knee – 1-2 weeks
Charlie Constable – Concussion – TBC
Jack Bowes – Shoulder – 3 weeks
Joel Jeffrey – Ankle – 3-4 weeks
Ben King – Knee – Season
Bodhi Uwland – Back – Indefinite
GWS
Nick Haynes – Ankle – Test
Conor Stone – Hamstring – 1-3 weeks
Zach Sproule – Shoulder – 3 weeks
Brent Daniels – Foot – 3-5 weeks
Daniel Lloyd – Arm – 6-8 weeks
Jacob Hopper – Knee – 2-3 months
Phil Davis – Hamstring – 2-3 months
Jack Buckley – Knee – 3-4 months
HAWTHORN
Max Lynch – concussion – test
Will Day – concussion – unavailable
Lachlan Bramble – foot – 1 week
Chad Wingard – calf – TBC
Ben McEvoy – neck – TBC
Young defender Will Day continues to engage with club medical staff as he manages his concussion suffered in a heavy hit from Saints ruck Paddy Ryder, which earned a two-match ban, while Chad Wingard will have a scan tomorrow to determine how his calf injury is recovering. Tall Max Lynch will be assessed after his return from concussion could not be officially ticked off due to Covid protocols, but he could be available to play.
-Lauren Wood
MELBOURNE
Michael Hibberd – Calf – 2 Weeks
Daniel Turner- Foot – 3-5 Weeks
Christian Salem – Knee – 4-6 Weeks
The Demons will make a call on whether to recall Harrison Petty back into the game’s best defensive combination after main training, while spearhead Ben Brown is suspended for a high hit in the VFL.
-Jay Clark
NORTH MELBOURNE
Ben Cunnington – Testicular cancer – Indefinite
Eddie Ford – H & S protocols – Available
Charlie Lazzaro – Calf – Test
Will Phillips – Glandular fever – Test
Jared Polec – Foot – 6-7 weeks
Tom Powell – Calf – Test
Phoenix Spicer – Hamstring – 3-4 weeks
Tarryn Thomas – Internal bruising – 1-2 weeks
Cameron Zurhaar – Concussion – 1 week
Forward Cam Zurhaar will miss the clash with the Bulldogs through concussion protocols but Noble said the Kangaroos had a handful of replacement options at their disposal.
“There’s a couple that will come back into the calculation for us, whether it’s Eddie Ford Tommy Powell, Paul Curtis. They’ve been around the mark,” he said.
Former first round pick Will Phillips is expected to play in the VFL on the weekend, having recovered from a bout of glandular fever.
Noble said he had “bounced back pretty quick” in the past fortnight.
Jed Anderson is also expected to line up in the VFL for his first game of footy since becoming fully vaccinated against Covid-19 in February and returning to North Melbourne training.
-Jasper Bruce
PORT ADELAIDE
Aliir Aliir – Ankle – Assess
Charlie Dixon – Ankle – TBC
Xavier Duursma – Neck/Shoulder – Assess
Orazio Fantasia – Knee – 5-7 weeks
Scott Lycett – Shoulder – Assess
Trent McKenzie – Knee – TBC
Josh Sinn – Groin – 3-4 weeks
Ollie Wines – Heart – TBC
Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines says he is “100 per cent back to normal” and has been cleared to return to light training. But the Brownlow Medallist will miss this weekend’s clash against Carlton with what has been diagnosed as atrial fibrillation. Wines was taken to hospital after complaining of heart palpitations in the Power’s loss to Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night. He was released from hospital on Friday evening.
-Simeon Thomas-Wilson
RICHMOND
Nick Vlastuin – hamstring – available
Josh Caddy – soreness / illness – TBC
Dylan Grimes – hamstring – TBC
Dustin Martin – personal – TBC
Richmond is set to regain premiership defender Nick Vlastuin for Saturday’s road clash with Adelaide, a week after fellow stars Dion Prestia and Jack Riewoldt returned to the side.
But the Tigers will be without winger Kamdyn McIntosh, who has entered the AFL’s health and safety protocols as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case.
They sit on the fringes of the top eight after dispatching a wayward Western Bulldogs line-up last week but could move inside with a second-straight victory over the improving Crows at Adelaide Oval.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick believes Vlastuin’s “probable” inclusion will make a significant difference, given the youth in the Tigers’ backline and co-captain Dylan Grimes’ absence.
-Marc McGowan
ST KILDA
TBC
SYDNEY
Lance Franklin – finger – 2-3 weeks
Tom Papley – hamstring – 1-2 weeks
Robbie Fox – hamstring – TBC
Colin O’Riordan – eye – TBC
Sam Naismith – knee – season
WEST COAST
Oscar Allen – Foot – 2 weeks
Campbell Chesser – Ankle – Inactive
Greg Clark – Shoulder – Test
Tom Cole – Ankle – Inactive
Jamie Cripps – Pectoral – Test
Luke Edwards – Groin – TBC
Andrew Gaff – Ankle – 1-2 weeks
Tom Joyce – Ankle – 3-4 weeks
Tim Kelly – Hamstring – Test
Nic Naitanui – Knee – TBC
Samo Petrevski-Seton – Calf – Test
Dom Sheed – Ankle – 4 weeks
Zane Trew – Shin – 1 week
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Mitch Hannan – illness – Test
Jordon Sweet – concussion – 1 week
Laith Vandermeer – hamstring – 2-3 weeks
Dominic Bedendo – hand – 2-3 weeks
Jason Johannisen – calf – 3-4 weeks
Alex Keath – hamstring – 4-6 weeks
Sam Darcy – foot – 6-8 weeks
Josh Bruce – ACL – 8-12 weeks
Toby McLean – ACL – 10-12 weeks
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Originally published as AFL Hurt Locker: Injury news and updates throughout Round 5
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