Carlton have been dealt a brutal injury blow out of their win over North Melbourne, with star ruckman Tom De Koning to miss the remainder of the home-and-away season with a pair of nasty injuries.
The young tall suffered a punctured lung in a last-quarter clash with Roos ruckman Tristan Xerri that saw him finish the match on the bench and causing him to be hospitalised after the game.
However, it is a foot injury sustained earlier in the match that he bravely played through that will see De Koning spend an extended period on the sidelines, with scans confirming a fracture that will require surgery.
De Koning, who has emerged as one of the game’s most exciting young ruckmen in 2024, will be out for at least the final five rounds of the home-and-away season, with the Blues to assess his fitness to return for September during the pre-finals bye.
“As tough as the news is for Tom, first and foremost we are pleased he is feeling okay and recovering, following his treatment in hospital overnight,” Blues general manager of football Brad Lloyd said in a statement.
“Tom reported symptoms of being unwell within half an hour of the game finishing, so the priority for us was immediately ensuring he got the treatment he needed and he is now recovering with the appropriate care around him.
“Tom will undergo surgery this week to correct his foot injury, which we expect will sideline him for the remainder of the home and away season, and we will continue to monitor his recovery over that period of time.”
The news is a bitter blow for the second-placed Blues, though they have a readymade replacement in back-up ruckman Marc Pittonet, who was dropped for the win over North Melbourne as Michael Voss goes back and forth between a ruck duo and allowing De Koning to take the reins as a solo big man.
Tom De Koning marks in front of Sam De Koning. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
In better news for the Blues, forward Harry McKay has been cleared of concussion after a head knock in the third quarter, having already passed a mid-match head injury assessment that enabled him to return for the last quarter.
Bombshell report claims Hinkley Eagles’ number one coach target
A bombshell report claims Ken Hinkley is West Coast’s new number one target to coach the club for the 2025 season.
After parting ways with 2018 premiership coach Adam Simpson a fortnight ago, the Eagles’ top candidate, Swans assistant and club legend Dean Cox, pulled out of the race last week, citing a desire to remain in Sydney.
Cox’s decision appeared to leave former Eagles Jaymie Graham (Fremantle) and Ashley Hansen (Carlton) as the new frontrunners; however, a bombshell report from SEN WA’s Tim Gossage claims Port Adelaide coach Hinkley is the club’s prime candidate.
“I think he is the number one target,” Gossage told SEN WA Breakfast.
“The shift has been significant in the last 48 hours… I’m confident he is near the top of their shopping list.
“You can’t come out and say he’ll get the job because it is a massive process, but I do believe his name has soared into contention at West Coast.”
Hinkley is contracted at the Power until the end of 2025, but has faced mounting pressure over his future at the club amid heavy discontent from the club’s success-starved fan base.
Despite a win-loss record of above 60 per cent since taking over at Port for the 2013 season, Hinkley holds the VFL/AFL record for most games coached (254) without a single grand final appearance.
That ugly stat means despite three preliminary final defeats and a top-four finish in 2023, the 57-year old has been a target of ire from supporters, even booed during the Power’s recent heavy home loss to Brisbane.
Suggestions from the club have been that Hinkley will eventually hand the reins to current assistant Josh Carr in a coaching succession plan; it remains to be seen how the Eagles’ reported interest will affect the Power’s decision-making in regards to their long-term coach.
(Getty Images/Kelly Barnes)
‘Not good enough’: King slams Blues’ response to McKay head knock
AFL analyst David King believes Carlton have ‘a case to answer’ after a groggy Harry McKay was allowed to remain on-field for several minutes after suffering a head knock in the Blues’ win over North Melbourne.
McKay clashed heads with Roo Eddie Ford late in the third quarter at Marvel Stadium, remaining dazed on the ground for nearly a minute after the incident and forcing the umpire to stop play to allow him to get back to his feet.
However, the key forward controversially remained on the ground for several minutes as Blues medical staff reviewed the incident on the boundary line and he waved off a runner, with McKay even kicking a crucial goal before eventually being taken from the field for a head injury assessment (HIA).
McKay would pass the HIA and return to the field in the final quarter; however, speaking on Fox Footy’s First Crack, King was still adamant the Blues’ response left plenty to be desired.
“We’re not taking it seriously if a player can stand up and wobble and not be taken from the field for an assessment,” he said.
“We’ve flipped the game on its head with tackling and bumping, and every other small action is now costing three weeks… and we allow this guy to appear concussed and play on for the next five minutes.
“It’s not good enough!
“We’re supposed to have an AFL representative in the ARC demand the player come off – where was that today?
“It [taking McKay off] took way too long – five minutes is too long… I think Carlton have got a case to answer here.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the AFL comes down super hard on this tomorrow.”
Given McKay passed his concussion test, the Blues are not expected to face any ramifications from the AFL, with the incident similar to one involving Geelong star Jeremy Cameron earlier in the year, which the league ticked off.
‘Not going to win hitouts’: Goodwin’s savage call on recruit amid Dees’ no-ruck debate
Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin has defended his decision not to pick ruck option Tom Fullarton for his team’s embarrassing 50-point loss to Fremantle on Sunday.
With Max Gawn still sidelined by an ankle injury, Goodwin opted against handing former Lions big man Fullarton his Demons debut for the match-up against Fremantle ruck duo Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson.
The tactic of going with makeshift duo Harrison Petty and Jacob van Rooyen in the ruck worked in a 17-point win over Essendon a week earlier.
But against Fremantle, the Demons were simply embarrassed in the hit-out and clearance battle.
Melbourne tallied just three clearances in the first half – the lowest ever tally for an opening half since Champion Data started collecting the stat in 1999.
Fremantle won the clearances 47-15 and the hit-outs 47-9 as Darcy (34 hitouts and eight clearances), Andrew Brayshaw (41 disposals, four clearances), Caleb Serong (36 disposals, six clearances, one goal) and Hayden Young (28 disposals, eight clearances) ran riot.
Fullarton only tallied five hitouts in the VFL last week, but he racked up 30 in the game before that.
The 25-year-old was recruited to the Demons at the end of last year as ruck depth, but Goodwin defended his decision not to pick the 200cm ruck-forward against Fremantle.
“Tom’s really working hard on his craft and he’s got things to work on his game, but he’s not going to win hit outs,” Goodwin said.
“He hasn’t been able to do that at VFL level.
“So we went with a player and a group (against Fremantle) that we thought could compete as strong as anything at ground level but also give us something around the ground.
“And to their credit, bits and pieces throughout the day they were able to do that.
“But the hit-out game wasn’t something we were going to win no matter who we picked.”
Melbourne’s second heavy defeat to Fremantle this season – following on from their 92-point loss in Alice Springs seven weeks ago – left the Demons in 10th place with a 10-8 record.
But in a much-needed dose of good news, Goodwin confirmed Gawn will be ready to return in Saturday night’s clash with GWS.
“He’ll play. He was very close (to being selected against Fremantle),” Goodwin said.
“He got through our main training session but he just wasn’t quite where we wanted him to be, and we didn’t want to take a risk.
“It’s an important time of the year and we want to make sure he’s really healthy.”
After facing the Giants, Melbourne take on the Bulldogs, Port, Gold Coast and Collingwood in a tricky run home.
(AAP)
‘Frustrated’ Lloyd bemoans Maynard’s suspension escape for elbow
Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard has avoided suspension despite being charged by the AFL match review officer with striking former teammate Jack Ginnivan.
Maynard raised an arm in an attempt to fend off a Ginnivan tackle during the Magpies’ heavy 66-point defeat to the Hawks on Saturday.
He caught Ginnivan high and can accept a $2500 penalty for an incident that was assessed as careless conduct, low impact and high contact.
The contest sparked a reaction from Hawks forward Nick Watson, who crashed into Maynard and has been charged with rough conduct.
Like Maynard, Watson can accept a $2500 fine after his bump was assessed as careless conduct, low impact and high contact.
Not only did the Maynard incident get a rise out of the Hawthorn players, but pundits were also fired up at the imminence of the Pies firebrand getting off with only a slap on the wrist.
Bombers great Matthew Lloyd expressed his frustration on the Channel Nine Sunday Footy Show amid sizeable bans for dangerous tackles, suggesting the wrong actions are being scrutinised.
“This is where I’m frustrated with the game,” Lloyd said.
“Reports are he’ll get a fine for that, whereas you lay a good tackle and it’s an accident, and someone knocks a head… but he’ll be fine.”
AFL journalist Damian Barrett added, “I think it has to be at least a week.”
Meanwhile, St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall was hit with a $1250 fine for striking West Coast’s teen sensation Harley Reid during the Saints’ 72-point win on Saturday.
Eagles forward Liam Ryan was cleared of wrongdoing over an incident involving Liam Stocker.
Ryan braced for contact with Stocker but it was the MRO’s view that he did not elect to bump his opponent, and his actions were not unreasonable in the circumstances.
Days after overturning a rough conduct ban at the Appeal Board, GWS tagger Toby Bedford was fined $1250 for careless contact with an umpire.
Giants teammate Tom Green ($1250 – tripping) and Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnij ($1250 – tripping) were also fined out of Saturday’s matches.
Port Adelaide star Zak Butters received fines for rough conduct on Richmond’s James Trezise ($5000) and careless umpire contact ($1875), with the sanctions seeing him reach a career tally of $36,250 – passing Toby Greene as the most fined player in AFL history.
(AAP)
Carlton Blues
v
Port Adelaide Power
AFL : Head To Head
Fri, 26 Jul 2024, 19:40
North Melbourne Kangaroos
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Geelong Cats
AFL : Head To Head
Sat, 27 Jul 2024, 13:45
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Brisbane Lions
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St Kilda Saints
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Essendon Bombers
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Melbourne Demons
v
Greater Western Sydney Giants
AFL : Head To Head
Sat, 27 Jul 2024, 19:30
Fremantle Dockers
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AFL : Head To Head
Sat, 27 Jul 2024, 20:10
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v
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AFL : Head To Head
Sun, 28 Jul 2024, 15:20
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AFL : Head To Head
Sun, 28 Jul 2024, 16:10
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