Caught in a ruck availability disaster, AFL high-flyers Collingwood should ponder the way to shuffle the magnets to offset Darcy Cameron’s doubtlessly severe knee damage.
In one of many worst-case eventualities the Magpies should have contemplated earlier than offloading star ruck Brodie Grundy to Melbourne final commerce interval, Cameron joined Mason Cox (haematoma) and Aiden Begg (again) on the sidelines after struggling a knee damage towards Richmond.
There isn’t any timeline on Cox’s return but whereas Cameron will face a prolonged stint out after limping off late within the third quarter on Friday evening.
“We’ve had a bad week in the ruck stakes,” coach Craig McRae stated.
“We’ve lost Mason for a period of time and now it looks like Darcy will be out for a significant period.
“We’ll discover out extra however preliminary analysis is a high-grade MCL (medial collateral ligament). I do not understand how lengthy that’s however we’ll wait and see.”
While Grundy is handling Melbourne’s ruck burden following Max Gawn’s knee injury, the Magpies will have to contemplate their next move after Ash Johnson chipped in on Friday night.
“I half-joked with Jamie (Elliott, a 177cm ahead) that he is likely to be rucking subsequent week,” McRae stated.
“I do not know. Funnily sufficient we talked about this earlier than the sport yesterday, round ‘what-ifs’, if Darcy went down.
“So we’ve got a few things up our sleeve but it’s a shame. We hope it’s good news and our thoughts and prayers are with him.
“Aiden Begg’s not match and obtainable, he is in all probability a month away himself. He’s acquired his personal points for the time being.
“We might have to be a little bit creative, we’ll wait and see.”
Defender Billy Frampton, who shut down Tom Lynch, began his profession as a ruckman and is another choice.
“At the right time and against certain opposition, that’s something that may come up,” McRae stated.
McRae performed down options of turning to 19-year-old pre-season pick-up Oscar Steene.
“I’m rapt with how he’s developing,” he stated.
“It’s not impossible but I want to set players up to succeed and it might be a bit early for him but we’ll wait and see.”
Meanwhile Jack Ginnivan will return from his illicit substance suspension within the VFL on Saturday.
If he impresses, McRae was assured he may squeeze the 20-year-old, Bobby Hill and Beau McCreery into the identical assault.
“I think so, yeah I do,” he stated.
“He’s worked hard and the kid’s looking for his next step and that comes tomorrow night.
“We’ll wait and see. You’ve acquired to warrant the chance and I’m trying ahead to seeing how he goes.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
