AFL injury ladder: Who has been hit the hardest in 2023

Does a great run with injury equal a premiership tilt? See the finals contenders who have been blessed this year and those hit hardest on our injury ladder.

Port Adelaide premiership player Dean Brogan says injuries are hitting the Power at the worst time of year and in the positions that hurt the most.

The Power’s injury list grew on Tuesday when it was confirmed Trent McKenzie had suffered a partial tear of his right PCL and would be out for four to five weeks.

While there was mystery around his latest foot injury, Charlie Dixon will be assessed as the week progresses as to whether he takes on GWS on Sunday.

They add to Scott Lycett having surgery to clean out some of his cartilage in his knee on Friday.

Despite the late hits, Champion Data numbers reveal that the Power have had one of the best runs with injury in 2023.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL INJURY LADDER

Fierce rival Adelaide has also had a good run with injuries this year, ranked 17th for games lost for all injuries (84) and 18th for games missed by best 22 players.

West Coast leads both stats, with 263 games lost to injuries and 195 to best 22 players. Richmond have lost 178 games (second) and the fifth-most to members of their best 22.

Essendon have lost the third-most games to best 22 players and is ranked fifth overall for games lost to injury, while Carlton has made a late charge despite losing the fourth-most games to best 22 players. Adam Cerra, Harry McKay, Sam Walsh and Zac Williams are among the stars unavailable for Michael Voss.

The Power is ranked 16th when it comes to games lost to injuries this season.

But Brogan said the injuries were coming at the wrong time of the year.

“I think the injuries are to key-position players, too, which hurts, they aren’t to wingers or half-backmen or anything like that,” he told this masthead.

“They are losing ruckmen Lycett, a key forward Dixon, a key back McKenzie and Aliir Aliir to concussion.

“It is the key-position players, if they go down they are really hard to fill.”

Port Adelaide has lost its past four games to drop out of the top two.

Brogan said the Power needed to focus on getting its list healthy before finals.

“It is a bit concerning I think for them now. I think they will finish somewhere in the top four but I think if you said to Port, ‘You are going to finish fourth, but you are going to come into the finals series with a healthy list,’ I think that is a good place to be,” he said.

“You don’t want to scrape into the four and have four or five out of your best 22 carrying serious injuries.

“So, if they can get healthy over the next month, whatever Lycett needs, whatever Charlie needs, what ever McKenzie needs, I think you give them that extra week or two and just get them to finals.

“Going into finals with a relatively healthy list is paramount.

“Normally the healthiest team has a good finals campaign or wins it.”

Dixon has to prove his fitness to take on the Giants. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

The Power are also carrying some sore players, with forwards coach Chad Cornes revealing on Monday that Todd Marshall was struggling to get through set shots from 45m and longer, which was why he was passing when he had the opportunity to take a set-shot against Geelong.

Brogan said this needed to be a key consideration by the Power as well.

“This time of year 90 per cent of players are carrying something,” he said.

“So maybe if you can have an opportunity for a Marshall to miss a week or have a lighter couple of weeks, now is the time to do it.

“You are only one or two injuries away from it all capitulating.

“As long as their midfield is healthy they are always a chance.”

BIG GUNS MISSING FROM FINALS CONTENDERS

1. Collingwood

Nick Daicos (knee) 6 weeks

Nathan Murphy (syndesmosis) test

2. Melbourne

Clayton Oliver (hamstring) test

Bayley Fritsch (foot) 3 weeks

Harrison Petty (foot) TBC

3. Brisbane Lions

Will Ashcroft (knee) season

4. Port Adelaide

Charlie Dixon (foot) test

Trent McKenzie (knee) 4-5 weeks

Mitch Georgiades (knee) season

Aliir Aliir (concussion) test

Lachie Jones (concussion) test

5. Carlton

Adam Cerra (hamstring) 2 weeks

Matt Kennedy (knee) TBC

Harry McKay (knee) 5 weeks

Jack Silvagni (knee) TBC

Sam Walsh (hamstring) 1 week

Zac Williams (knee) season

Adam Cerra is out with a hamstring injury. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

6. Western Bulldogs

Alex Keath (concussion) test

Sam Darcy (quad) 3-4 weeks

Josh Bruce (knee) indefinite

7. St Kilda

Zak Jones (knee) TBC

Dougal Howard (wrist) TBC

8. GWS Giants

Xavier O’Halloran (thumb) 2 weeks

9. Geelong

Jack Henry (foot) TBC

Tom Hawkins (hamstring) TBC

Mark Blicavs (hamstring) TBC

10. Sydney

Dane Rampe (calf) TBC

Justin McInerney (calf) 2 weeks

Jordan Ridley suffered a serious quad injury in round 19. Picture: Michael Klein

11. Adelaide

Izak Rankine (hamstring) test

Tom Doedee (knee) season

Jordon Butts (foot) season

Nick Murray (knee) season

Chayce Jones (foot) TBC

12. Essendon

Jordan Ridley (quad) 5-6 weeks

Dylan Shiel (foot) TBC

Sam Draper (hip) TBC

Jake Stringer (foot) TBC

Richmond

Dustin Martin (soreness) test

Trent Cotchin (soreness) test

Dylan Grimes (neck) test

Daniel Rioli (ankle) test

Jacob Hopper (concussion) 1 week

Tom Lynch (foot) season

Originally published as AFL injury ladder: Who has been hit the hardest in 2023