Collingwood Faces Setbacks as Key Players Injured
Collingwood has been hit by a series of injuries during a crucial match, with several key players facing significant setbacks. Veteran forward Jamie Elliott has confirmed that he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee during the final minutes of the game against the Eagles. This injury will end his season, according to scans conducted on Sunday. Meanwhile, star midfielder Nick Daicos is set for further scans after sustaining a sore foot during the match.
Elliott, who will turn 34 in August, had signed a two-year contract extension with the Magpies that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2027 season. The injury occurred when he flew for a mark in the forward pocket at the Punt Rd end of the ground, landing awkwardly and immediately clutching his knee. At the time, Collingwood led by 15 points, and a heated exchange broke out between both teams as Elliott lay on the ground in pain.
The Collingwood players confronted Eagles defender Tylar Young, but his coach, Andrew McQualter, quickly defended Young from any accusations of tunnelling. The match review officer’s report on Sunday also confirmed that there was no wrongdoing involved. “I don’t know what they were remonstrating for. It’s disappointing that Jamie got injured, but there’s nothing more to it,” McQualter said.
Elliott has played 230 games since his debut at Collingwood in 2012, missing entire seasons in 2016 and 2018 due to injuries. “We are all incredibly disappointed for Jamie,” said Collingwood’s executive general manager of football, Charlie Gardiner. “Scans this morning confirmed that he has ruptured his ACL and has also sustained some bone bruising in the knee.”
“Jamie has endured a number of significant injury setbacks across his career, and for him to face this latest setback is unfortunate for him and his family, as well as for us as a club. He’s a much loved and respected leader at our club, and we’re all feeling for him. We will miss his on-field presence this year, but he will no doubt continue to play an important role across the club during his recovery.”
In addition to Elliott’s injury, other players faced challenges during the match. Captain Darcy Moore left the field just before half-time with a moderate grade hamstring injury, while second-year forward Will Hayes dislocated his shoulder in the fourth quarter. Both players will undergo further assessments before updates on their return to the field are provided.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae defended his decision to play Moore in the unfamiliar role of relief ruckman after the game, but lamented the skipper’s lack of continuity. “He just can’t get himself moving,” McRae said.
GWS Records Fall in Dominant Win Over Brisbane
GWS delivered a record-breaking performance in their 78-point win over Brisbane, with the Giants’ captain Toby Greene playing a pivotal role. The team recorded the highest-scoring third quarter in VFL/AFL history, with a 14-goal blitz that eclipsed the previous record of 13.4 set by Essendon in 1982.
GWS ended the game with a score of 26.10 (166) to 13.10 (88), marking their biggest ever score. Greene, whose future has been the subject of much discussion, kicked five goals, four of them in the third quarter. With his third major, Greene passed Jeremy Cameron’s GWS individual record of 427 goals.
Coach Adam Kingsley revealed that Greene had been playing with a broken foot for the last five weeks. “He’s been playing with a broken foot for the last five weeks,” Kingsley said. “He still shows up and performs; he won’t let me rest him – he’s just such high quality.”
Jake Stringer added five goals, while Max Gruzewski and Aaron Cadman each kicked three. GWS defender Lachie Ash described the performance as the best they had played in 12 months.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan expressed surprise at the third-quarter blitz, stating that the team needed to find its form. “We can choose whether we get better from it or continue to go backwards because at the moment we’re nowhere near a premiership fancy at all,” Fagan said.
Carlton Dealt a Blow as Young Star Suffers ACL Injury
Carlton has suffered a major setback with promising young player Matt Carroll rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the Blues’ victory over Port Adelaide. The injury came a week after Carroll’s career-best game against the Western Bulldogs, where he booted three goals from the wing in his 27th match.
Carroll’s left knee buckled while chasing a loose ball early in the first quarter. He immediately grabbed the back of his knee and hobbled to the bench. This makes him the second Blue to suffer an ACL injury, following Jesse Motlop, who was injured in the preseason.
Carroll, 20, will be placed on the Blues’ inactive list, giving the club a pick in the upcoming mid-season draft. “Matt had been in excellent form this season and was coming off a strong performance the week prior, so clearly this is a disappointing setback for him,” said Carlton football boss Chris Davies. “While we’re all disappointed for Matt, we know how resilient he is, which will serve him well throughout his recovery.”
The injury creates an opening for veteran Blake Acres to return to the senior team this week for his first game of the season. Acres, who has been in excellent form in the seconds, was pulled out of the Blues’ VFL match on Sunday.
