A Fremantle star could be done for season 2023 after scans revealed a stress fracture in his foot.
While there’s good news for a couple of Saints, plus the Tigers expect a superstar to return.
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There’s fears FREMANTLE star Nat Fyfe’s 2023 season could be over after scans confirmed the two-time Brownlow Medallist suffered a stress fracture in his foot.
After initial fears his plantar fasciitis – which sidelined him for seven weeks earlier this season – had flared, scans revealed the disappointing outcome for Fyfe.
“Unfortunately, Nat has sustained a stress fracture. It’s the same foot he has been dealing with all year,” Dockers high performance manager Phil Merriman said.
“We have now put him in a boot, so he is going into a period of de-load.
“We are going to see how his foot is after this period of de-load and we are hopeful that we will see him again this season.”
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Given the Dockers are locked in a fight for even making finals, that leaves Fyfe less than eight weeks to get back on the field if he wants to return this season.
Experts believe it takes between six to eight weeks as a recovery period for stress fractures in a foot.
But it’s just another blow for the Dockers champion who has suffered a torrid run of injuries since his second Brownlow win.
Serious shoulder, back and hamstring injuries have curtailed Fyfe’s career in recent years, but this season it’s been his troublesome foot limiting him to nine games.
He was subbed out of the loss to the Western Bulldogs, with coach Justin Longmuir fearing a flare of the same foot issue.
“His foot had gotten sore. It’s the same foot he has had issues with this year,” Longmuir said in the post-match press conference.
“He’s had some awareness there, it just got a bit sorer than usual.
“He would be disappointed.”
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MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin has confirmed forward Bayley Fritsch will be sent for scans on his foot injury suffered in Sunday’s loss to GWS.
Fritsch was injured in a marking contest when his foot got stomped on in the landing and immediately made his way to the bench.
“He’s an important player for us – to lose him early was challenging,” Goodwin said post-match.
“Obviously he’ll go and have a scan.
“We’re hopeful he’ll be OK.
“He came down and got stomped on, he pulled up really sore. He came off and got assessed and clearly wasn’t able to go on.”
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CARLTON are hopeful both Marc Pittonet and Tom de Koning will be available for the trip west to take on Fremantle on Sunday.
The Blues were able to get the win over Hawthorn without a recognised ruck in the side, with de Koning a late withdrawal.
Instead, Jack Silvagni and Lewis Young got the job done which pleased coach Michael Voss.
“I thought Youngy and SOS battled manfully,” he said.
“They (Pittonet and de Koning) are both in tests – they’re a bit banged up, both with knees.
“We’re hoping they’ll be available for selection.
“We actually held him (de Koning) … did a little bit of a test yesterday and waited to see how he’d pull up – he didn’t pull up as we’d like.
“We didn’t bother to take a risk when it came to him.”
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Josh Battle will miss ST KILDA’s clash with Melbourne after he was concussed in the win over West Coast.
Battle copped a knee to the back of the head from Eagle Oscar Allen in a marking contest and took no further part in the game.
But it’s better news for Brad Hill after he was assisted from the ground in an awkward Allen tackle late in the contest at Optus Stadium.
Both Hill and Seb Ross (knee) will be sent for scans, but coach Ross Lyon was confident both would be OK.
Hill was able to return to the match late with his knee heavily taped.
“We don’t know the severity of Bradley and Seb’s injuries yet, so we’ll await the scan results before attempting to put a timeline on them,” Acting Saints footy boss David Misson said.
And there’s a possibility Jack Hayes (ACL) could make his long awaited return after more than 12 months on the sidelines.
“As long as he gets through training this week, Jack should play,” Misson said.
“He’s done the hard work and, whether it’s this week or next week, we’re looking forward to seeing that effort re
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warded.”
WEST COAST will be hoping star Jack Darling’s shoulder injury is manageable given their debilitating list of players unavailable.
Darling was clearly clutching at his shoulder during the loss to St Kilda before the call was made to sub him out of the contest.
“He’s a bit sore. I’m not sure what it was, he was a reluctant sub – I don’t think he was too happy about it,” coach Adam Simpson said.
“He clearly couldn’t compete to the level.
“He’s been under some duress as well, so I thought for the most part he gave everything but it was just too sore.”
Simpson also held out hope that star defender Jeremy McGovern could prove himself fit from a hamstring injury suffered back in Round 3.
“He’s pretty keen to play … I think he’s getting second and third opinions! What’s it been? 14 weeks? I’m hoping he’s available, but let’s just see how we go.”
The Eagles’ injury list blew out to 20 over the weekend when both Tim Kelly and Luke Edwards were sidelined will illness.
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“The flu’s getting around – if you’ve got kids, you’re probably going to get crook in the next couple of weeks and that’s what happened to Tim,” Simpson said.
“I don’t think Luke’s got any kids, but he got sick as well. They’ll be right next week.”
ADELAIDE coach Matthew Nicks says he’s disappointed to lose Jordon Butts for the clash with Essendon after the defender was concussed on Saturday.
Butts was subbed out of the win over North Melbourne
“We lose a back nearly every week,” Nicks said post-win.
“That’s because our guys put their body on the line. Buttsy today was unfortunate but that’s what he does week in week out, puts his body on the line.
“He’s feeling a lot better in the rooms – disappointed because he’s going to miss next week but that’s player welfare and safety in that.”
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Dustin Martin looms as a big inclusion for RICHMOND for their Thursday night blockbuster with Sydney.
The three-time Norm Smith medallist missed the loss to Brisbane due to illness and failed to make the trip north.
Interim coach Andrew McQualter said he believed Martin would be recovered in time for the Swans match.
“We were hopeful he was going to fly up – we’re thinking he’ll be fine for next week,” the coach said.
“Just wasn’t quite well enough for today.”
But there’s bigger concerns for Jayden Short who will be sent for scans on his injured hamstring.
“He’s hurt his hamstring, bad enough to come off right straightway,” McQualter said.
“I imagine it’ll be a few weeks – we’ll scan and see how we go.”
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Luckless BRISBANE defender Callum Ah Chee will miss the match against West Coast on Saturday after suffering a concussion.
Coach Chris Fagan said he felt for Ah Chee, who has been limited to just three games this season.
“I think he’s got a really little concussion – it was only for a moment but it’s enough to keep him out of next week which is a real pity,” he said.
“Every time he comes in, something happens to him.
“He’s just going to have to miss a week and hopefully we can get him back in the team.
“We were about to pick him a couple of times this year and he had a couple of soft tissue issues – he’s not having a lot of luck.”
Fagan said the news was more promising for midfielder Josh Dunkley and his injured calf.
“He’s got a bit of a corky. It felt like the game was in control by three quarter time and didn’t need to take any risks with him,” he said.
“He’s a pretty important player for us.
“He was not that keen to come off, but sometimes you’ve just got to make those calls.”
