ST KILDA midfielder Seb Ross is set for an extended stint on the sidelines after suffering what the club expects to be a "reasonably serious" hamstring strain.
The 21-year-old was the main casualty in the Saints' 50-point NAB Challenge win over Essendon on Saturday, after hobbling from the field in the third term clutching at his left leg.
He sat out the rest of the game with ice attached high on the leg, and coach Alan Richardson said the early signs were not promising.
"We still need to get scans but that looks like it's reasonably serious given he couldn't run off the ground," Richardson said.
"We'll wait and scan that and hopefully it's good news. It was a fairly unique one really in that, not unlike [Carlton captain Chris] Judd last year, he was kicking and got pushed in the back.
"[He] ended up with limited range and a lot of strain going through it. It's disappointing."
Luke Dunstan also left the field limping but he returned later and the coach said the young midfielder had only suffered a corked leg.
Ross' strain follows recent hamstring victims Jack Billings and Farren Ray at the Saints, while Dylan Roberton and Shane Savage have also had hamstring problems over the pre-season.
Richardson said the club has confidence in its conditioning and medical practices.
It was the only blight on an otherwise solid game for the Saints, which Richardson conceded was one the club entered on "a hiding to nothing" against Essendon's makeshift team.
"If we won, we were supposed to win. If we lost, it was going to be a disaster," he said. "There was no doubt there was a challenge for the playing group and I was pleased with how they responded."
Essendon coach James Hird was satisfied with his team despite its heavy defeat, matching it with the Saints for three quarters before falling away in the final term.
WATCH: James Hird's full press conference
"I think the Essendon-listed guys did really well, and the guys who came in from outside the club were fantastic and [there were] some superb efforts," Hird said post-match.
"Obviously we were undermanned but I was very impressed with the way they came together as a team, bonded and played the game out. You can't be disappointed with their effort."
Hird acknowledged the strange situation of fielding a team brought together in recent weeks – "It's hard to know what you want out of it," he said – but added he was encouraged by the performances of senior-listed players Jason Ashby, Jackson Merrett and Jonathan Giles.
Of the top-up recruits Mitch Brown, who spent six seasons on Geelong's list for 15 games, was excellent and gathered 22 disposals and 10 marks. He won the coach's praise.
"It's pretty obvious to me that Mitch is an AFL player. I thought today he was terrific," Hird said.
"He showed to me today that we'd love him at our club and the way he plays but that's obviously a long way away."
The six players Essendon wanted to take part in its training session involving Williamstown on Friday – Brendon Goddard, Zach Merrett, Joe Daniher, Patrick Ambrose, Adam Cooney and James Gwilt – are in consideration for next week's meeting with Greater Western Sydney but Hird would not confirm their inclusions.
"It's too early to say," Hird said.
