SHAUN McKernan's dual premiership-winning brother Corey is tipping his resilient sibling to bounce back positively from his serious injury setback on Saturday.
The Essendon footballer was enjoying the most productive run of his decade-long career as Joe Daniher's replacement before suffering a left hamstring strain early in the second term against Fremantle.
McKernan, 27, had a scan on Monday morning and will miss up to 10 weeks – effectively the rest of the season – but he will not require surgery.
He is out of contract, but as good as certain to remain at Tullamarine, something coach John Worsfold backed post-match at the weekend.
McKernan has played 62 games in 10 seasons in the AFL, with his 10 this year remarkably the second-highest tally of his career and his 16 goals a personal best after being the No.28 pick in 2008.
"When you play football, it's the one thing they don't prepare you for – all the setbacks," former Kangaroos and Blues star Corey told AFL.com.au.
"To be brutally honest, most times there are more downs than ups. The players that have long periods in the game; you need to be very good to do that.
"Regardless of whether you're playing every single week, or in Shaun's case in and out or on the fringes, all you can do is prepare and give yourself the best possible chance – and you need some luck along the way."
McKernan, a forward-ruck, hasn't had much of that throughout his career, firstly at Adelaide and now the Bombers.
As Corey pointed out, "unfortunately Daniher's misfortune was Shaun's fortune".
McKernan is Essendon's No.1 target – ahead of Mitch Brown and Jake Stringer – since receiving his opportunity in round eight after Daniher's groin injury a week earlier.
His 2018 averages, excluding the one-and-a-bit quarters on Saturday, are 14.1 disposals (6.3 contested), 5.8 marks (2.1 inside 50) and 1.8 goals, including two bags of four.
"It's just purely and simply about opportunity," Corey said of his brother's career-best form.
"It's not an age thing with big blokes; it's more down to knowing you're going to play every minute of every game, regardless of whether that's in the ruck or forward."
Corey also has no concerns about his sibling's ability to continue to perform alongside Daniher next season.
"It probably suits his role. If he's not playing forward, he'll be in the ruck and as long as you know that's your role, it's fine," he said.
"Being just a forward or just a ruckman is a dangerous position to be in as a big bloke nowadays, but Shaun's lucky he's got both attributes."
