Bulldogs with fresh injury woes ahead of Geelong game
Mark Stevens | May 21, 2009 12:00am
THE Western Bulldogs have suffered fresh injury blows in the the lead-up to tomorrow night's clash against Geelong.
Defenders Andrejs Everitt, Dylan Addison and Ryan Hargrave will definitely miss the preliminary final rematch at Etihad Stadium.
Everitt has a bruised foot and will miss one to two weeks, while Addison has not recovered from a minor knee injury suffered in the seven-point victory against Melbourne on Saturday.
The Dogs had been hopeful Hargrave, a late withdrawal against the Demons, would return from a thigh injury to confront the Cats.
But he could now be up to a fortnight away after further testing on the quadricep injury.
The losses come on top of the absence of star forward Robert Murphy, who will miss two weeks with a minor hamstring injury.
The Dogs are relieved that the damage is done to the sheath that surrounds the hamstring, not to the muscle.
Needing to make at least three changes, the Dogs have five players - Shaun Higgins, Callan Ward, Tim Callan, Stephen Tiller and potential first-gamer Brennan Stack - in the mix.
Higgins looks certain to return from an adductor problem, while former Cat Callan, who has not played at AFL level this season, seems an obvious addition to provide defensive reinforcement.
Stack, pick No. 45 in the 2006 draft, is an indigenous player who took significant steps during the pre-season after playing 17 VFL games last year.
Everitt, who has struggled to recapture the form of his debut 2007 season, had his foot stomped on against the Demons.
"It's just bruised. We thought it might have been a crack," Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said last night. "But he certainly can't play this week. We don't know about next week."
Eade said Addison had suffered a twisted knee, tweaking a medial ligament.
"He'll be one to two weeks away," Eade said.
Hargrave was a chance to return against the Swans in Canberra next week, but was still hampered by pain and could also miss next week.