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WOULD Gary Ablett's left shoulder rule him out for the rest of the season, or wouldn't it?
This was the No. 1 question on the minds of most footy fans when the two-time Brownlow medallist's left shoulder was dislocated in a tackle by Collingwood's Brent Macaffer last Saturday night
On Wednesday afternoon, we finally got an answer when the Suns announced Ablett had opted to have reconstructive shoulder surgery, a procedure that will rule him out for the rest of the season.
The Gold Coast superstar had been grappling with whether to have an arthroscope on his shoulder, which would have paved the way for him to return as early as round 20 and kept his hopes alive of playing in the Suns' first final series.
Obviously, if Ablett had chosen this option there was the real risk that his shoulder would dislocate again.
Ablett said on Wednesday he had been tempted to put off a reconstruction in an attempt to return this year, but in the end did not want to risk his shoulder's long-term range of movement.
As big as news as Ablett's injury has been, there has been a lot of other significant injury news this week too.
Brad Sewell could struggle to get back into the Hawks' senior team before the finals after suffering his third hamstring strain of the year just 10 minutes into Friday night's game against North Melbourne.
Sewell's strain was only a low-grade one, and is slightly higher up on the hamstring than his previous two injuries, but given he's 30 and has had such an injury-interrupted season I expect him to miss four weeks.
The Hawks have had their share of hamstring troubles this year, most notably Cyril Rioli and Sam Mitchell's significant tendon injuries, so I don't expect them to take any risks, which could mean Sewell faces a race against time to make it back in time for the finals.
In better news for the Hawks, Bradley Hill is a reasonable chance to return this Friday night against Adelaide after missing last week.
Hill developed knee soreness in the warm-up before the Roos game, but had been troubled by iliotibial band friction syndrome in his knee during the previous week.
Hill's condition doesn't involve any structural damage, just soreness on the side of his knee.
It flared up so badly he couldn't play against North, but a couple of days later the soreness was gone, so I expect him to train this week and push his case for a recall.
A despondent Brad Hill realises he is out of Hawthorn's clash with North. Picture: Getty Images
However, defender Taylor Duryea is in slight doubt for the Crows clash after straining his right AC joint late in the loss to North. Duryea was already carrying a left shoulder problem and is likely to face a fitness test later this week.
Adelaide star Patrick Dangerfield should play this week after his knee got caught in a tackle against Greater Western Sydney last Saturday.
Dangerfield suffered no structural damage in the incident and has pulled up pretty well, so I expect him to train this week.
Likewise, key defender Daniel Talia, who suffered a corked glute, or buttock muscle, against GWS. Talia finished the game and was running freely enough that I'm not expecting him to miss this week, even though he will still be sore.
However, veteran Crows Ben Rutten and Scott Thompson are in doubt.
Rutten was subbed out of the Giants game with concussion and, with most players missing a week under the AFL's concussion protocol this season, I'm expecting him to be rested.
Thompson got a knock to the hamstring against the Giants and that puts him in some doubt because the Crows won't want to risk that developing into a hamstring tear.
This week's Rising Star nominee, Troy Menzel, suffered a low-grade AC joint injury against St Kilda last week, but when the Blues strapped him up and put him back on the ground it was clear that his pain wasn't under control.
Although players are quite often able to play the week after an AC injury with strapping and pain management, it wouldn't surprise me if Menzel is ruled out of the clash against the Sydney Swans on Saturday night.
The fact he struggled after he came back on the ground is not a good sign, so he will have to get through some pretty intense testing at training this week, which would include tackling and bumping tests.
Fellow Blue Andrew Carrazzo has had a long history of soft-tissue injuries and is unlikely to play this round after suffering a low-grade strain of his right quad against the Saints.
Carrazzo could spend more than one week on the sidelines given that low-grade quad injuries can linger for three to four weeks.
And the fact the injury is to his kicking leg adds an extra dimension to his recovery because there's a lot more power used in kicking than running.
West Coast midfielder Matt Rosa is the latest victim of a spate of pectoral injuries in the AFL this season.
Pectoral injuries were extremely rare in the decade leading up to this season, but already this year four players have suffered them – Josh Gibson, Tory Dickson, Joel Tippett and now Rosa.
Rosa will miss the rest of the season and undergo surgery this week to repair the pectoralis major tendon in his shoulder.
The Eagle should take three months to recover and be right for the start of the 2015 pre-season, while this year's run of pectoral injuries could be coincidental, but could also reflect a rise in tackling intensity.
These pec injuries are much more common in rugby league so there may be a link to different tackle coaches at AFL level.
Ablett's is just one of a number of injuries to hit Gold Coast ahead of its clash with the Western Bulldogs.
Trent McKenzie (left hamstring) and Charlie Dixon (right calf) will definitely miss this Saturday's game. I expect McKenzie to be sidelined for four weeks and Dixon for three to four weeks.
And Sean Lemmens is unlikely to take his place against the Bulldogs after being concussed in the last quarter of the Suns' win over Collingwood last Saturday night.
Ben Reid returned from a quad injury in the VFL last round and, in keeping with his horror injury run this year, emerged with a corked calf.
Reid has suffered a litany of soft-tissue injuries this year and is yet to play a senior game.
Even though he should able to train this week, I think Collingwoodwill be sufficiently worried about him breaking down so he's doubtfulto play this weekend. He certainly won't play senior footy and it wouldbe surprising to me if the Pies risked him in the VFL this week.
Ben Reid in action during a training session at the start of July. Picture: Getty Images
Fellow Magpie Jamie Elliott missed last weekend with some hamstring soreness, but has returned to the training track.
Again, though, I would be surprised if Collingwood risked him because he is such an explosive player and an extra week out could help prevent any further setbacks.
Luke Ball also missed last week for the Pies with a calf injury and as this is his second calf strain this year I expect him to miss probably another week, especially at his age.
St Kilda veteran Lenny Hayes is likely to return this Saturday against North Melbourne after being rested last week with groin soreness.
Hayes' groins have troubled him on and off this season, but a week's rest should have him ready to take on the Roos.
Jimmy Webster's foot injury was originally thought to be relatively minor, but subsequent scans have shown the Saint has two fractures in his metatarsals and will miss the rest of the season.
