Bombers set to lose Ridley for Anzac Day, Moore upbeat
Roger Vaughan |
Jordan Ridley is set to be sidelined with a fresh injury, dealing Essendon a major blow for their AFL Anzac Day blockbuster against Collingwood.
The defender had an immediate impact when he returned in Gather Round for his first game of the season, helping the Bombers end their 17-game losing streak.
But he suffered a calf injury in Saturday’s tight away loss to Gold Coast, and captain Andrew McGrath is pessimistic.
Ridley, one of Essendon’s most important players, has had a bad injury run and only managed 10 games last season.
“I don’t think so at this stage … with his history (we’re) being pretty cautious with his approach,” McGrath said on Monday morning when asked about Ridley and Anzac Day.
“I don’t think this weekend will be realistic. Obviously Jordan is a really important member of our team – culturally, and on the field.
“We’ll see how the injury unfolds. I feel for ‘Rids’ at the moment, it’s been a tough run for him.”
But Magpies captain Darcy Moore is optimistic he will return from his hamstring injury this Saturday against the Bombers.
Moore’s first game of the season in round four did not survive the first quarter before he was forced out with injury.
“I’m feeling pretty good – in great news, I had a really good session last Friday, so I made a couple of really big breakthroughs,” Moore said.
“The body feels awesome coming into this week … watch this space.
“It’s been a challenge, obviously. Clearly, getting injured 20 minutes into my first game of the season was not ideal.
“Sometimes that just happens.”
Moore was also hopeful Jordan De Goey would return from concussion, but is unsure about his availability.
The two captains were speaking after a wreath-laying ceremony at the Shrine Of Remembrance ahead of the Anzac Day game.
“It feels really nice to be here on Monday when we play in six days,” Moore said.
“It gives us the whole week to prepare for what is such an enormous occasion … we’re so blessed to be a part of it.
“To be able to have the whole week to really soak it in and have really rich experiences, like today … it adds to the layers of meaning for the game.
The Bombers’ form has lifted – they nearly pulled off an away upset win over the Suns – but McGrath said morale has been strong throughout their start to the season.
“Our form has turned a little bit, but the mood haven’t wavered from the very beginning,” he said.
“There was obviously a lot of noise around our football club in the first couple of weeks and rightly so – we weren’t performing up to our own expectations.
“But we felt like we were building, regardless of the result … (now it’s) much more how we want to play.”
AAP