ESSENDON has been hit with some fresh injury concerns heading into September but is hopeful of regaining a host of key players for its elimination final clash with West Coast.
The Bombers' 11-point loss to Collingwood on Friday was further soured by a shoulder injury to star defender Michael Hurley.
Hurley suffered a dislocated shoulder during the second term and took no further part in the game.
Coach John Worsfold said while Hurley would have scans, the club was unlikely to know immediately if the injury would rule him out of the club's finals campaign.
"I'm not sure whether the scans will tell with these injuries, or whether it's the range of movement that he's got," Worsfold said after the game.
"I'm a bit in the dark with how we're going to know, what it is and what the time frame is."
Essendon will also keep an eye on youngster Aaron Francis, who copped an ankle knock in the second quarter but managed to play out the game.
In better news for Essendon fans, the club expects to be regain stars Dyson Heppell (foot), Orazio Fantasia (hip), Jake Stringer (soreness), and Cale Hooker (illness) for their do-or-die clash with the Eagles.
Collingwood did not emerge from Friday night's clash unscathed either.
Luckless key defender Darcy Moore is under a major injury cloud after he left the field late in the fourth quarter and had ice on his left hamstring in the rooms post-game.
Moore had only just recovered from a hamstring injury suffered against the Eagles in round 17 and this latest setback could see him miss the Pies' finals campaign.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley told 3AW on Saturday that he was "not confident at all" that Moore would be fit in time for the Pies' qualifying final clash with Geelong.
"There's no real clarity of definitive outcome on what we can expect from Darcy in the next month," Buckley said.
The Pies will also be sweating on the fitness of injury-plagued defender Matt Scharenberg, who copped some friendly fire in the first quarter against Essendon and sat out the rest of the game with concussion.
Greater Western Sydney forward Harry Himmelberg sent a scare through the Giants camp when he left the field midway through the third term against Gold Coast holding his ribs.
He went down into the rooms but returned to the field a few minutes later and managed to play out the game.
Geelong had a couple of minor injury concerns during their clash with Carlton on Saturday.
Midfielder Mitch Duncan hurt his left shoulder in a tackle early in the game but was able to play out the match.
Forward Gary Rohan appeared to injure his knee and received treatment but was also able to return to the field and play out the game.
West Coast defender Brad Sheppard was left with sore ribs after a collision in the second term. After receiving some treatment he was able to play out the game.
Young Sydney forward Tom McCartin limped off early against St Kilda with a sore quad and spent a quarter and a half on bench, but was able to return to finish the game.
Hawthorn midfielder Tom Scully came from the field in the second term against West Coast with an ankle concern. He went down into the rooms and took no further part in the game.
North Melbourne veteran Jamie Macmillan copped an accidental hit to head from a marking contest late in the game against Melbourne, and was ruled out in the final term.
In other injury news:
- Ed Curnow picked up an Achilles injury during Carlton's clash with Geelong and was ruled out for the rest of the game.
- Adelaide veteran David Mackay received treatment on his hip/groin region, but played out the second half against the Dogs.
- Crows defender Alex Keath hobbled off the field with an ankle concern in the third term and failed to pass a three-quarter time fitness test.
- Port Adelaide ruckman Scott Lycett copped a knock to the knee late in the game against Fremantle and came off the ground.
