Blues midfielder Kennedy faces race to return this year

Justin Chadwick and Oliver Caffrey | July 12, 2023

Carlton midfielder Matthew Kennedy is in a race against time to play again this year after suffering a high-grade medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury to his right knee.

Kennedy was helped off the ground by two trainers after hurting his knee in the third quarter of Carlton’s 53-point win over Fremantle on Sunday.

Although he has avoided a dreaded anterior cruciate ligament rupture, the MCL tear will keep the 26-year-old out of action until at least the tail-end of the season.

Mitch McGovern (corked thigh) and Tom De Koning (knee) are possibilities to face Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, but ruckman Marc Pittonet (knee) is likely to need at least another week. 

West Coast forward Liam Ryan has been ruled out for the rest of the season after it was deemed he needs another round of surgery on his hamstring.

Ryan has been sidelined since tearing his hamstring in round three, but the initial round of surgery hasn’t fixed the injury and specialists have advised Ryan to go under the knife again.

In better news, captain Luke Shuey and veteran Shannon Hurn are on track to return for Sunday’s clash with Richmond, while Greg Clark (foot), Callum Jamieson (hip), Luke Foley (hamstring), Samo Petrevski-Seton (quad), Zane Trew (concussion protocols) and Isiah Winder (knee) are also in line to play some minutes this week, most likely in the WAFL.

Rampant AFL ladder-leaders Collingwood will be boosted by the return of All-Australian duo Brayden Maynard (shoulder) and Steele Sidebottom (knee) for their clash with Fremantle.

The pair’s inclusion for Saturday’s game at the MCG pushes the Magpies closer to full-strength, with only forwards Brody Mihocek and Will Hoskin-Elliott from Collingwood’s strongest 22 still missing.

Mihocek will sit out at least one more game with a hamstring injury and will return to full training next week in a bid to be ready to play in a top-two showdown against Port Adelaide in round 19. 

Fremantle defender Brennan Cox has been ruled out with an ankle problem.

Cox suffered the injury in last week’s thumping by Carlton, and the Dockers will assess the results of scans before determining how many games he will miss.

Last week’s debutant Karl Worner (calf) has also been ruled out for Fremantle, while Will Brodie will miss another one to two weeks with an ankle injury.

Forward Matt Taberner, who has been sidelined since round four with a back complaint, could return to playing duties next week.

St Kilda have been dealt three further blows on top of Max King’s season-ending shoulder injury.

Jack Billings is set to miss at least two games after fracturing his thumb in last week’s 21-point loss to Melbourne, while Seb Ross has been ruled out for four-to-six weeks with a hamstring injury.

Zaine Cordy will miss Saturday’s clash with Gold Coast due to concussion. 

Forward Tim Membrey, who has been sidelined since round nine with a knee injury, is still listed as being four-to-five weeks away.

In better news for St Kilda, Josh Battle (concussion), Jack Higgins (knee) and Bradley Hill (knee) could all return against the Suns.