Melbourne may have to learn how to play without superstar onballer Clayton Oliver after a hamstring injury that is set to shake up the Brownlow Medal race.
Melbourne star Clayton Oliver is set to be sidelined with a hamstring injury that could have significant ramifications for the club’s top-four hopes and Brownlow Medal betting.
Oliver has missed just a single game in the past six seasons with a broken thumb but pulled up sore after a third-quarter incident kicking the ball in the contest against Port Adelaide.
The Demons on Sunday said Oliver’s scans would be assessed over the next 24 hours with the club expecting a result on late Monday.
But there are fears he could be sidelined for up to a month given the extent of the damage.
Oliver played out the Port Adelaide loss but had scans on Saturday when he arrived back in Melbourne.
Oliver is a $6 third favourite for the Brownlow Medal behind Nick Daicos ($2.75) and Marcus Bontempelli ($4.50) and is such a resilient player the Demons have never had to learn how to play without him.
At the age of 25 the 2021 premiership player has three All-Australian jumpers and four best-and-fairest trophies for the Demons in six full seasons since playing 13 games in his debut season.
The Demons have just brought Christian Salem back into the side after knee surgery and in Oliver’s absence have the midfield depth to give Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw more time as pure onballers.
But the Demons face a tough run in coming weeks with Fremantle and Carlton before the King’s Birthday clash against Collingwood on June 12.
Simon Goodwin’s fourth-placed side is in exceptional form as it attempts to set itself up for a home final or at worst a top-four position.
The Demons beat Port Adelaide despite Oliver’s absence in round 18 last year in Alice Springs.
Harrison Petty is still 3-5 weeks away with a mid-foot sprain but the Demons are well placed to continue their charge despite the loss to the Power.
Coach Simon Goodwin said that loss would allow the Demons to continue their progression as the Power out-pressured his side.
“At halftime the game was nowhere near the way we wanted it and then we were able to shift momentum in-game quite significantly,” he said.
“That was a very powerful third quarter of footy. There were some real positives.
“To come over here, go down by four points, we walk away here with some opportunities, but we walk away with some positives. Out of this we will grow, there’s no question about that.”
SAINT KO’D IN SICKENING SCENES
St Kilda young gun Mitchito Owens has suffered a sickening head injury that has halted play in the Saints’ clash against GWS.
Owens was knocked out cold in the second quarter at Giants Stadium, with the medical cart required to attend to him.
The Saints young gun, the third favourite in the Rising Star award, was caught by teammate Anthony Caminiti’s knee after he was pushed into his path.
As play continued Owens did not move as medical staff rushed to his aid.
Play was stopped and Owens was attended to for several minutes, with a stretcher and neck brace rushed out to the young Saint.
Once he was fitted with a neck brace, Owens was loaded onto the medical cart and taken off the field.
DASHING DOG SET FOR EXTENDED BREAK
The Western Bulldogs fear in-form half back Jason Johannisen could miss two months with hamstring tendon damage after being subbed off in the win against Adelaide.
Johannisen has slotted back into half-back in recent weeks and made a real impact but pulled up and grabbed at his hamstring during the Mars Stadium encounter.
The Dogs are hopeful that he will not need surgery for the injury but the early expectation is that the hamstring damage does involve his tendon.
It means he could be out for between 6-10 weeks, which might mean Caleb Daniel has to slot back into the backline.
Marcus Bontempelli received a knock to the knee against Adelaide which required treatment and while he looked sore in the second half, he played out the game.
The Dogs are confident he has avoided any structural damage and will be fit to take on Gold Coast in Darwin next weekend as they try to continue their march up the ladder with a 7-3 win-loss record.
CATS COULD REGAIN THREE FLAG STARS
Geelong coach Chris Scott says Patrick Dangerfield is a strong chance of returning from a hamstring injury against GWS next weekend.
But the Cats superstar will still need to pass a series of tests at training this week that could delay his return by another week.
The Cats are hopeful Sam De Koning (facial fracture) and Gary Rohan will return from injury after a second consecutive loss to put the Cats at 5-5 in their premiership defence.
The Cats said after round 10 that Dangerfield’s hamstring injury was low-level, and if he takes on GWS it will be 21 days after the injury.
A three-week absence would be in line with the club’s more cautious approach to senior players and put him on track to play the Bulldogs in round 12.
Coach Chris Scott said he believed the cavalry was about to return after Tyson Stengle (broken arm) and Jack Henry (foot surgery) took to the field against Fremantle.
“It’s a big group. We are really optimistic on Dangerfield, Rohan, De Koning. Mitch Duncan might be a little longer, Cam Guthrie is close. (Sam) Menegola and (Rhys) Stanley will be a bit longer. It was good to see Henry and Stengle back. Jack Henry hasn’t played a game at any level all year.”
Originally published as AFL 2023: All the injury news and fallout from round 10