West Coast ahead Jack Darling stays an opportunity to play in spherical one of many AFL season after scans cleared him of the necessity for ankle surgical procedure.
But the Eagles have been left to sweat on one other damage after younger ahead Jack Williams was taken to hospital on Tuesday to evaluate injury to his rib or lung.
The Eagles have been fearing the worst after Darling’s left ankle received caught below his physique when he was tackled by a teammate throughout an intra-club hit-out final week.
Darling underwent a number of units of scans to find out the complete extent of the injury, and the Eagles breathed a sigh of reduction when it was revealed the 30-year-old would solely miss a matter of weeks.
“I don’t think it’s too severe. He’ll be touch-and-go for round one, but knowing the way he is I think he’ll be OK,” Eagles coach Adam Simpson mentioned.
“So no surgery, just an ankle. We’ll see how he recovers the next couple of weeks.
“Hopefully we have dodged a bullet.”
The retirement of Josh Kennedy means Darling will be the focal point of West Coast’s attack this year alongside rising star Oscar Allen.
West Coast were ravaged by injuries last season, and Simpson was bracing himself for bad news after seeing Darling go down.
“The bruising we received from final yr, there’s these fleeting ideas (of fear) that come into your thoughts,” he mentioned.
“But we have got to remain resilient. Injuries are going to occur. We had our fair proportion final yr, so hopefully we’ll get a greater run at it, which we’ve got.”
Williams, chosen with pick No.57 in the 2021 national draft, was taken to hospital on Tuesday as a precaution after a collision at training.
“He received a knock immediately within the ribs,” Simpson mentioned.
“I believe he is gone off to hospital as a precaution along with his lung. It might need deflated a tiny bit. We did not wish to take any dangers.
“Hopefully it’s not as serious as it sounds. It was more of a precaution.”
West Coast’s participant group have been dealt a second tragedy within the house of three weeks on Monday when Zane Trew’s mom, Daina, died of most cancers.
It follows the demise of Rhett Bazzo’s mom, Kylie, in a boating accident.
“Young men suffering grief like that is a real challenge for them and their families,” Simpson mentioned.
“As a club all we can do is sit in the background and provide as much support as we can.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
