AFL 2024: The injured best 23 for round 10 which shows growing problem as coaches ‘concerned’

The number of players on AFL club injury lists this week is staggering. Here’s a team of the best sidelined stars for round 10 as coaches express concerns over the issue.

Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron missed Thursday night’s round 10 clash against Gold Coast through concussion. Picture: Getty Images

It is the team of sidelined stars.

These 23 fan favourites will not line up their respective clubs this weekend, sitting among a growing group of players on lengthy AFL club injury lists.

Senior coaches have been among a number of people in the industry to express their concerns over the problem as the 2024 season takes an unprecedented toll on playing lists.

There were 153 players on injury lists across the competition earlier this week – excluding five suspended players.

Seven clubs had 10 or more injury issues to note – just nine rounds into the season – with Richmond (15), Collingwood (14) and Carlton (13) leading the way.

Those injury lists exclude Angus Brayshaw, Nathan Murphy and Aiden O’Driscoll — who have all been forced into early retirement from the game this year due to concussion — and Rory Sloane who retired with an eye injury.

Adelaide’s Rory Sloane retired with a long-term eye injury last month. Picture: Getty Images

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said on Friday the injuries were a worry, with his own side missing key senior players including captain James Sicily (shoulder/ankle) and key forward Mitch Lewis (knee).

Two Hawks — James Blanck (knee) and Sam Butler (leg) — are among at least 21 players who have already had a line ruled through their names for the rest of the season.

“I must admit, I am concerned about it, but I have no answers for the why,” Mitchell said on SEN radio.

“Across the competition, sometimes you see a run of injury, like there’s a lot of ACLs in a year, or there’s a hamstring epidemic that happens. But it seems this year that there’s a huge mix of injury.

“Last week we had Blancky (Blanck) out with ACL, Sicily out with his shoulder, knee for Mitch Lewis, and wrist for Mabior (Chol). It’s sort of your two key backs, two key forwards. It makes the selection process (hard). A lot of opportunities comes up for players who may not have got it.

“If you’re in that premiership window when you’re really just trying to win every game, when you’re a little bit limited, it is difficult.

“I do love the game of attrition and how difficult our game is to play. So I think it’s all part and parcel. But if we can limit some injury, I think that would obviously be better for everyone.”

Asked if he was in favour of further restricting interchange in a bid to prevent injury, Mitchell said it would be “an interesting case study” to see if that was a “positive thing for injury or not”.

Sydney key defender Tom McCartin is currently sidelined with another concussion. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Richmond senior adviser Neil Balme suggested on Wednesday that shorter quarters could be another tactic used to help reduce the injury toll.

“I’ll probably get into trouble for saying this, but I think it’s obvious that the game is too difficult,” Balme said on RSN radio.

“There’s just too many injuries and I don’t know what the solution is, but I get the feeling we need to look at that. I think we should play a shorter game, like just take five minutes off every quarter, maybe.”

Club officials have also questioned why there has been “crazy” talk out of AFL House over the past 12 months about cutting list sizes, at a time when so many injuries are occurring.

The AFL’s annual injury reports have shown a small uptick in injuries across recent years, with concussion, muscle strains and knee injuries the leading problems.

Originally published as AFL 2024: The injured best 23 for round 10 which shows growing problem as coaches ‘concerned’