Essendon’s horror year of injury continues with Nate Caddy sidelined with a groin complaint
After a horror 2025 on the injury front, the 2026 pre-season has immediately started on the wrong foot as Nate Caddy and Nic Martin have both found themselves back in the medical bay.
Essendon star forward Nate Caddy will scale back his training loads this week after reporting soreness in his troublesome groins on Monday.
Caddy, 20, participated in full training on Monday, but felt tightness and restriction in his groin after the session and will be on a modified program this week.
While the setback isn’t considered serious, it has made clear Caddy will have to continue to be careful and extremely diligent in the short term following serious groin trouble last year.
It means his loads may only be dialled back for the next week or two, pending further assessment.
There is a chance he could do some light trackwork on Friday at training in the firm belief the issue is only minor.
The 193cm goal kicker will be on a close watch leading into Christmas to ensure he is not overdoing it and at further risk of further serious injury.
Caddy, who is clearly one of Essendon’s most important players coming into only his third season, was bothered by a groin problem in the back half of last year, sidelining him for the last four games.
He was sent to Qatar for specialist treatment in the off-season and will still be confident of hitting the new season in great shape.
But his groin will be one of the top priorities for the new-look fitness department which is being headed by highly-rated fitness boss Matt Inness.
The club, including its senior playing group, has been impressed by the early impact Inness has made at Tullamarine.
Star playmaker Nic Martin could face a full season out after last week re-injuring his ACL which he ruptured last season.
Originally published as Essendon’s horror year of injury continues with Nate Caddy sidelined with a groin complaint
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