TonyK
Tash Jayasinghe
CibbuanoDons decimated
August 19th 2008 08:37
ESSENDON will only have 24 fit men to choose from for its Friday night clash against the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome.
Bombers coach Matthew Knights confirmed on Tuesday morning that his playing stocks had been further decimated with veteran defender Dustin Fletcher (groin), ruckman David Hille (hand), Jason Laycock (ankle) and Courtenay Dempsey (leg) all joining the club's injury list.
"It's just the way it is obviously with David Hille having an operation on his hand to be repaired, Dustin definitely won't play with his groin (injury)," Knights said.
"Courtenay Dempsey with a cracked fibula, which obviously is gonna need repair and he'll be (needing) a good six to 10 weeks with his (rehabilitation) program and Jason Laycock also we've found that he's had some floating bone in his ankle for a little while now."
Dempsey, who has suffered numerous hamstring injuries since being drafted in 2005 and stress fractures in his leg earlier this season on top of his recently broken leg, will have played 10 out of a possible 66 matches by the time this season ends.
But Knights said he was still hopeful that the 20-year-old would get his body right and have a successful career.
"There's been, through history, a lot of guys (who have) had trouble early in their career with injuries then gone on to play eight or 10 straight years," he said.
Laycock has been playing with an ankle complaint but Knights said there no were no exucses for the 23-year-old's poor form.
"It (the ankle injury) hasn't been preventing him playing or, I think, covering the ground," he said.
"I think Jason is big enough to say his formline is his formline, there's no excuse in regards to injury."
With Hille and Laycock on the sidelines the Bombers have been forced to thrust 18-year-old big man Tom Bellchambers into the No.1 rucking role.
In some good news for Essendon, veteran Jason Johnson is set to play his first game since round two in what will be one of the last matches of his 12-year career.
Johnson was sidelined for three months with a calf injury before making his return in the VFL a fortnight ago.
The Bombers are also expected to be bolstered by the return of midfielder Mark McVeigh who has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery five weeks ago while key forward Scott Lucas is extremely unlikely to take on the Bulldogs.
Bombers coach Matthew Knights confirmed on Tuesday morning that his playing stocks had been further decimated with veteran defender Dustin Fletcher (groin), ruckman David Hille (hand), Jason Laycock (ankle) and Courtenay Dempsey (leg) all joining the club's injury list.
"It's just the way it is obviously with David Hille having an operation on his hand to be repaired, Dustin definitely won't play with his groin (injury)," Knights said.
"Courtenay Dempsey with a cracked fibula, which obviously is gonna need repair and he'll be (needing) a good six to 10 weeks with his (rehabilitation) program and Jason Laycock also we've found that he's had some floating bone in his ankle for a little while now."
Dempsey, who has suffered numerous hamstring injuries since being drafted in 2005 and stress fractures in his leg earlier this season on top of his recently broken leg, will have played 10 out of a possible 66 matches by the time this season ends.
But Knights said he was still hopeful that the 20-year-old would get his body right and have a successful career.
"There's been, through history, a lot of guys (who have) had trouble early in their career with injuries then gone on to play eight or 10 straight years," he said.
Laycock has been playing with an ankle complaint but Knights said there no were no exucses for the 23-year-old's poor form.
"It (the ankle injury) hasn't been preventing him playing or, I think, covering the ground," he said.
"I think Jason is big enough to say his formline is his formline, there's no excuse in regards to injury."
In some good news for Essendon, veteran Jason Johnson is set to play his first game since round two in what will be one of the last matches of his 12-year career.
Johnson was sidelined for three months with a calf injury before making his return in the VFL a fortnight ago.
The Bombers are also expected to be bolstered by the return of midfielder Mark McVeigh who has been sidelined since undergoing knee surgery five weeks ago while key forward Scott Lucas is extremely unlikely to take on the Bulldogs.
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