Cats coach Mark Thompson said the club would stand by their All-Australian as he desperately tries to revive his promising career. Egan last played in round 22, 2007 when he fractured the navicular bone in his right foot.
Earlier this month Sydney surgeon Kim Slater told Egan his injury was struggling to heal.
“I think he’s going to seek another opinion and see another surgeon, to see if there’s anything else he can do,” Thompson said outside Skilled Stadium on Thursday.
“He’s probably had terrible news and just terrible luck, but he’s such a great guy and such an optimistic person that he’s willing to do whatever it takes and we’re going to support him."
Thompson said Egan would pursue every avenue available to him, but is not getting his hopes up about a comeback just yet.
“Is he pessimistic about going on? He probably hasn’t got that much confidence but I think while he’s got a chance he’ll take every opportunity he can -- that’s the sort of guy he is.
“And why wouldn’t you? You know, you don’t want to be finished as a footballer at 24 and he’s doing whatever he can to get back out there and we’ll support him.”
Last year the Cats drafted youngster Harry Taylor, who helped fill the defensive hole left by Egan. But with the Cats certain to again be without their star centre half-back in 2009, the question is whether the club will look to draft a ready-made defender to help cover the absence.
“Unlikely, no it’d be very unlikely,” Thompson said.
“We have a model here where we try to recruit and develop our own and we probably won’t sway too far away from that.”
