Mick Gibbons: Former Carlton player tweaks calf muscle

Another big name recruit in country footy has suffered an injury leading into the first round. Find out who is the latest to miss.

Former Carlton player Mick Gibbons’ highly anticipated debut for Ovens and Murray league club Yarrawonga is on hold after tweaking his calf in the lead-up to its round one game against Wodonga Raiders on Saturday.

Gibbons was one of country footy’s biggest off-season signings after he played 41 matches in three years with the Blues.

“We’re erring on the side of caution,” the club’s football manager Leigh Ramsdale said.

“He is seeing a physio today and we’ve got to think long term.

“It would be smart to miss a week and hopefully he’s back for our Easter game.

“He’s also got a scan on Monday and we will reassess things after that.”

But in better news for Yarrawonga, Gibbons’ former Williamstown teammate Willie Wheeler will play his first game for the Pigeons after missing last season with injury.

Echuca, the team declared Goulburn Valley league premiers for two days last year, kicks off the new season on Saturday with its star recruit Sam Reid in doubt with a shoulder injury.

The Murray Bombers were on top of the ladder ahead of Euroa and Seymour on percentage when the season was called off due to Covid-19.

But the GV league made a shock call to award the premiership to teams sitting on top before a major backlash led to a reversal of the decision just 48 hours later.

“The right decision was made in the end,” Echuca co-coach Simon Maddox said.

“They should never have come out and said there would be a premiership awarded.

“We were like ‘this doesn’t sit very well’.”

Most leagues awarded minor premierships after the second successive season ruined by Covid.

Toby Greene and Sam Reid after the Giants beat the Swans in last year’s finals series. (Photo by Steve Bell/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Former Carlton player Andrew Walker is still co-coach of Echuca. Picture: Aaron Cook

Echuca is again shaping as a major premiership contender with the addition of Reid, who played for Greater Western Sydney up until last year.

But he hurt his shoulder in the club’s final practice match two weeks ago and is in doubt to play in the season opener against Rochester at Rochester

“We will play finals for sure so we don’t want to blow him up in round one,” Maddox said.

“If he’s not right this week he will hopefully be seven days later.”

Former North Melbourne player Shaun Atley is set to play his first match for Rochester on Saturday alongside brothers Joe and Jacob.

Joe captains Essendon’s VFL team after previously being on Port Adelaide’s list.

Reid finished on 108 AFL senior matches with the bulk of those played at GWS after previously playing for the Western Bulldogs.

His brother Ben already plays for Echuca.

Former Carlton player Andrew Walker is the Murray Bombers other co-coach.