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AFL round 9: All the latest injury and MRO news
Ross Lyon brought out one of his classic one-liners post-game and shed light on injury blows to Jack Steele and Tim Membrey, along with when he expects Max King to return.
Jason Phelan,
Jay Clark and
Jon Ralph
6 min read
May 14, 2023 - 6:54PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
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St Kilda is set to welcome back star spearhead Max King after the injury-hit Saints suffered another blow with Tim Membrey concussed during Sunday’s surprise thumping by Adelaide.
A clearly groggy Membrey was helped from the ground in the third quarter after falling heavily in a marking contest at Adelaide Oval and will miss his side’s Round 10 clash against GWS.
Jack Steele was also unable to see out the 52-point loss after tweaking a knee, but coach Ross Lyon is confident the skipper will be fit to face the Giants in Sydney.
King will play his first game of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in December.
“We think Max King plays next week,” Lyon said.
“We don’t take any risks … the process told us that he wasn’t ready (against Adelaide).
“We think that he’ll be ready next week … with Tim being concussed, if he’s available I think we’ll pick him.
Max King is expected to return next week. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
“He did rehab today, he did a big footy session, and he’s got through that.
“So, if he pulls up okay I think he’ll declare himself available, as long as he can do the two training sessions during the week.
“We know that he’s done a mountain of work.”
Lyon was unable to offer an expansive update on Membrey’s condition after he had his legs taken from under him in a marking contest.
“He was concussed, I don’t dive into that, it’s not my area, I let the cobblers do the cobbling,” he said.
“But he was up and talking to the players.
“It was pretty courageous what he did going back.”
The Saints had suffered just two defeats, to Collingwood by six points and Port Adelaide by seven, after eight rounds, but were opened up by the slick ball movement of Adelaide and trailed by as much as 65 points late in the game.
Tim Membrey was helped off the ground by trainers. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images
The stingiest defence in the league had conceded an average of just 59.25 points a game before the on-song Crows kicked a season-high 121 points to move back into the top eight with a 5-4 record.
But Lyon was unfazed by the out-of-sorts performance.
“I’d like to think that we’ve been pretty consistent … we’ll give them a Mulligan,” he said.
“It’s a long season, if you make top four you’re going to lose seven, so I don’t think we’re a team that goes through undefeated.
“We would’ve liked to have been better on a big stage, but I don’t think we’ve done a lot wrong … with a lot of challenges to personnel.
“So, I’m really quite buoyant and optimistic that we’ll get back on the horse and get going.
“I just think it’s a long arduous season, and I’m quite optimistic about the group’s character.
“But talk is cheap … we’ll get to find out next week.”
Thomas in picture for unlikely AFL return amid injury crisis
North Melbourne could lose Aidan Corr to suspension on top of its horror injury toll from Saturday’s loss to Port Adelaide.
The Kangaroos may have to make as many as five changes for Saturday’s clash against Sydney Swans after
losing Luke Davies-Uniacke and Darcy Tucker to hamstring injuries.
Jack Mahony (shoulder) and Flynn Perez (concussion) are also injured and Corr is facing a one-match suspension after he was reported for striking Port’s Ollie Lord.
Corr whacked Lord high and was reported on the spot as part of a push-and-shove.
It means Corr may miss the clash against Lance Franklin at Marvel Stadium as part of a raft of changes.
The Corr hit could be graded as intentional conduct, as it was behind play, high contact and low impact.
Lord was uninjured.
Callum Coleman-Jones kicked nine goals in the VFL and could come in while Ben Cunnington could also be recalled to help replace Davies-Uniacke.
The gun midfielder will have scans on his hamstring on Sunday to assess the damage.
Corr’s likely suspension comes as the Roos sweat on scans for star mid-forward Cam Zurhaar, who copped a knock to the side of the face.
The Roos are hoping to rule out a cracked jaw or cheekbone but he was extremely sore after the game.
Aidan Corr faces a possible suspension. Picture: Getty Images
If he is sidelined the Roos would have six changes, which would open the door for George Wardlaw to make his long-awaited debut.
The No.4 draft pick looked assured again in the VFL coming off knee soreness and seems certain to finally make his debut for the Roos.
Former top-10 pick Tarryn Thomas is also in the picture for an unlikely AFL recall given the spate of injuries.
The Roos and AFL were on Sunday working on the details of his likely return to the AFL program on Monday after his third VFL game.
If he is given the AFL tick-off to train and play at AFL level he would be in the selection frame given an assured 25-possession performance for the Kangaroos VFL side.
It would be a remarkable return to senior football given his career had appeared in jeopardy for a string of incidents involving conduct towards females.
But the Roos believe he has made significant change in recent weeks as he works as a cleaner and trains with the VFL program.
Ben Cunnington would also be likely to return to help the club’s onball unit given Luke Davies-Uniacke’s hamstring injury.
Mahony’s shoulder dislocated in the contest against Port Adelaide, so the Roos will have to make a decision on whether he needs shoulder surgery or attempts to strengthen the joint before a return in coming weeks.
The Kangaroos have a horror injury list. Picture: Getty Images
the following week is more likely.