Essendon could lose captain Zach Merrett to suspension for their blockbuster Anzac Day clash with Collingwood in a sobering postscript to their upset victory over Melbourne.
Merrett’s tackle on Demon Tom Sparrow in the final five minutes of the Bombers’ shock 27-point defeat of the premiership favourites may cost him his place for Tuesday week’s match.
The Essendon star initially grabbed Sparrow around the neck as he grappled with him before flinging him to the turf head-first in a motion that match review officer Michael Christian is sure to scrutinise.
The AFL’s crackdown on dangerous tackles resulted in bans for in-form Hawk Will Day (two games) and Geelong’s Gary Rohan (one) from round four incidents, while Richmond defender Nathan Broad copped a four-match suspension earlier in the season.
Sparrow’s medical report, including a possible delayed concussion, will not be the sole factor, given Christian’s ability to assess an incident with the potential to cause serious injury.
Merrett would miss one game if Christian charges him with careless conduct, medium impact and high contact.
The 27-year-old midfielder, who replaced Dyson Heppell as captain for this season, is averaging almost 30 disposals, six inside 50s and five clearances as one of the catalysts for the Bombers’ 4-1 start.
Rib injury sidelines Dog
Western Bulldogs defender Josh Bruce faces weeks on the sidelines after injuring multiple ribs from a collision in Saturday night’s loss to Port Adelaide.
Josh Bruce looks set to spends several weeks out with a rib injury.Credit: Getty Images
On Sunday, the Bulldogs confirmed the 30-year-old sustained a “significant injury” to his ribs and his return to play would be revealed in the coming weeks. He played only five games last season after recovering from an ACL setback.
Bruce immediately clutched at the left side of his ribs and was in obvious pain after the Power’s Jed McEntee bumped into him as they contested for the Sherrin at ground level in the third quarter. The Dogs subbed him out of the match soon after with rib soreness.
Speaking afterwards, coach Luke Beveridge was hopeful Bruce would not miss an extended period.
“He’s got some rib stuff going on. I haven’t got the detail [yet], but it was bad enough for us to sub him off,” Beveridge said. “I think it was more the midfield stuff we lost the handle on, but I thought Josh was going OK – he was playing pretty well. After the first quarter, where the backs were probably a bit unstable, I thought they really got it together and defended some pretty telling opportunities for Port.
“It would have had some impact [losing Bruce]. We had to put Bailey Williams back, and Toby [McLean] comes into the picture and plays wing and none of it really worked – but in a parallel universe it does … sometimes you get the lick of the ice-cream with that, and sometimes you don’t.
“Hopefully, Josh won’t be out of the game for too long.”
Alex Keath looms as Bruce’s replacement after sitting out round five while under the AFL’s concussion protocol.
Bruce, who arrived from St Kilda as a goalkicking solution and kicked 48 majors in 2021, has played all five matches this year as a defender after training there throughout the summer.
The Western Bulldogs are prioritising Aaron Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Rory Lobb in attack, and even second-year tall Sam Darcy earlier in the season.
