ESSENDON speedster Leroy Jetta will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair an injured thumb.
The 21-year-old dislocated the thumb in a practice match against Richmond's second-18 side at Craigieburn on Friday.
Bombers football operations manager Paul Hamilton said Jetta would be sidelined for up to six weeks.
"It is disappointing for Leroy because he has had his best ever pre-season and unfortunately it is going to keep him out for a number of weeks," Hamilton told the club's official website.
"He will be able to keep his fitness up, which you can’t do with a leg injury, so we are lucky from that perspective. Obviously there is a period following the operation where you can’t do much because you can’t allow for the extra bleeding and things but, once it has settled down, he can join in and run around and build it up from there."
"It is most disappointing from the perspective that he is a player that knows this is an important year for him and he wanted to get off to a good start and unfortunately it hasn’t happened for him."
Meanwhile, youngster Travis Colyer is expected to resume full training in a week's time after undergoing hand surgery last month to repair the webbing on his hand which split during a marking drill at training.
ESSENDON has suspended Michael Hurley from playing in the 2010 NAB Cup and Challenge competition after he was charged with assault following an altercation with a taxi driver in September.
The 19-year-old, who has been charged with five counts of assault, will reappear in court on March 5.
Bombers chief executive said the suspension was one part of the club's punishment for the talented youngster.
"Michael made a serious mistake and he is extremely remorseful for his actions," Robson said.
"He accepts that the club has imposed this sanction, and will take further action, and he will continue to fully co-operate with police and the courts."
Robson said the sanction does not speak to Hurley's guilt or innocence on the assault charges and will stand regardless of the court outcome.
ESSENDON coach Matthew Knights says a knock to second-year utility Michael Hurley's wrist is nothing serious.
The 19-year-old, who just had plaster removed after post-season surgery on his right hand, sent a scare through the Bombers camp when he jarred his wrist at training on Monday.
Hurley favoured the hand during training at Latrobe University on Wednesday but Knights said there wasn't anything to worry about.
"He went in, everything was clear, the docs cleared him and he came out and trained today, so that would be just a little bit of a flow-on from that," Knights said.
"There's a little bit of soreness still but it was only a jarring incident and he'll adjust."
Meanwhile, ruckman David Hille, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against in the first quarter of Essendon's stunning win over Collingwood on Anzac Day last year, took part in Wednesday's session bar the match practice.
Knights said Hille is a chance to play in round one.
"If I get asked the question, I say he's going beautifully for round one," he said.
"If you speak to the medicals and the fitness staff, they've got to keep the reins on him a bit, but we're all pretty united on that - we'll play David when he's ready."
"It'll be 11 months in round one and ... if he's not round one let's say he won't be too long after that - it's probably a round one to four bracket."
TonyK
Cibbuano
Add Comments
