The banged-up Brisbane Lions will probably be with out necessary ahead Eric Hipwood, and sure star midfielder Lachie Neale, for the remainder of their premiership defence.
Twin Brownlow medallist Neale injured his proper calf within the 16.16 (112) to 11.8 (74) qualifying last defeat to Geelong on the MCG on Friday evening.
It was Neale’s first sport in additional than a month, having been sidelined for the final three video games of the home-and-away season attributable to a quad criticism.
Neale will be a part of premiership defenders Jack Payne (knee) and Noah Answerth (achilles) on the sidelines.
Hipwood did not play towards Geelong attributable to a calf harm, however a scan has additionally revealed a partial tear in his left ACL.
The 27-year-old may have surgical procedure in coming days in a bid to have him obtainable throughout the 2026 season.
Hipwood, extremely, may have been enjoying with the harm for months.
“Having Eric miss the finals sequence via harm is de facto devastating for him and his household and for us as a membership,” Lions soccer boss Danny Daly mentioned.
“It is an unbelievable effort by Eric to have been enjoying every week with this harm and nonetheless giving his all to the group regardless.”
On Friday evening, Lions coach Chris Fagan admitted he was “not anticipating nice information” from Neale’s scans on Saturday after returning to Brisbane.
“Appears like he is achieved a calf, in order that’s not factor,” Fagan mentioned.
“He is a reasonably robust kind of man, can normally play via these, however he could not.
Neale harm makes Lions loss worse
“It takes quite a bit for him to return off, so I might suspect it is one thing important.”
Neale nonetheless gathered 32 disposals towards the Cats, however had restricted affect on the sport as he was a part of a Lions midfield that was badly crushed.
Brisbane overcame main adversity final yr, profitable all 4 finals en path to their first flag in 21 years.
However it would take one thing equally as particular for them to repeat.
Fagan admitted he hadn’t thought of if they may go all the way in which with out Neale.
“I am simply anxious about attempting to win a sport subsequent week,” he mentioned.
“He is an incredible participant so clearly he helps, and we have got fairly just a few different guys who’re injured in the mean time and never enjoying, so whether or not that provides as much as too many accidents and makes it tough.
“However give quite a lot of credit score to Geelong … they had been magnificent.”
Brisbane’s lacklustre efficiency towards the Cats confirmed they’re lacking the star energy up ahead of Joe Daniher, who retired after final yr’s grand last win.
“There will not be an overreaction,” Fagan mentioned.
“We’ll simply do what we at all times do — take a look on the imaginative and prescient and discover out the place we made errors, and the way we are able to enhance.
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“For subsequent week, it’s going to simply be so simple as that.
“I’ve received quite a lot of religion on this group.
“We are able to make a drama out of it, however they have been within the final seven last sequence and achieved some fairly good work in that point.
“It is not at all times going to be a mattress of roses.
“Once in a while you are going to meet an opponent, like we did, who had been red-hot.
“We’ll simply keep calm and do what we at all times do.”
If the Lions are capable of keep away from going out in straight units and win via to a preliminary last, they might face Collingwood on the MCG.
AAP
