AFL R11 Injury Update:North Melbourne Faces Key Absences, Welcomes Returns…

 

AFL R11 Injury Update: North Melbourne Faces Key Absences, Welcomes Returns

 

North Melbourne Kangaroos have been dealt a significant blow with the news that defender Miller Bergman will miss the next month due to a hamstring strain sustained in the team’s recent AFL defeat to Essendon. The injury compounds a frustrating season for Bergman, who has struggled for continuity having already missed several games earlier this year because of a fractured jaw suffered during the opening round of the VFL campaign.

 

 

“Miller sustained a hamstring injury after landing awkwardly from a marking contest in the third quarter,” said North Melbourne’s head of performance Kevin White. “Scans have confirmed a moderate hamstring strain which will likely be a four-week return to play estimation.”

 

Bergman’s absence is a tough pill to swallow for the Kangaroos, who have been looking to stabilize their defense amid a challenging season. Bergman, now in his third year, has shown promise and resilience, but injuries have hindered his ability to consistently contribute to the team’s efforts.

 

Adding to North Melbourne’s injury concerns, co-captain Jy Simpkin remains sidelined due to a quad complaint. Simpkin has missed the past two games and will continue his rehabilitation for another fortnight. White provided a clearer timeline for Simpkin’s return, stating, “Jy had been dealing with a low-level quad strain across the past fortnight with his main limitations initially felt on acceleration and deceleration. Last week this had cleared, but he experienced soreness while kicking which will now see him rehab the injury across the next two weeks as a safeguard for the second half of the season.”

 

While the absence of key players like Bergman and Simpkin is a setback, North Melbourne has some positive news on the injury front. Both Kallan Dawson and Brayden George are expected to make their returns this weekend. Dawson has been out since suffering an ankle injury during a training session ahead of Round 6, while George has been recovering from a dislocated shoulder sustained in a Round 5 VFL match against Greater Western Sydney.

 

“Kal has now passed through his ankle rehab program,” White explained. “The past two weeks have seen him put in a huge block of footy conditioning work and lower limb gym work which has set him up for return this week. Brayden has put in a solid block of strengthening around that injured shoulder and has passed through his markers in the gym. He will train fully with the group this week and be available for selection.”

 

Young gun Colby McKercher has made progress in his recovery from a bone stress injury sustained during a game in Darwin against the Suns. Although there isn’t an exact return date for McKercher, the club aims to provide a clearer timeline next week leading into the bye.

 

“The plan is to carefully monitor his pain scores when walking and once this settles to pain-free we will then look to build loads up, first through the AlterG treadmill and then transition out onto the training ground,” White said.

 

In other updates, Jackson Archer and Hugh Greenwood will face fitness tests later this week as they hope to shake off ankle and Achilles issues, respectively. “Jackson had rolled his ankle in a landing mechanism from a contest against Gold Coast,” White noted. “He pulled up sore early last week with a view to test during Friday’s main training which he couldn’t quite pass through confidently, but the ankle has trended well since then. Hugh has been managing chronic Achilles tendinopathy which at times can flare up and limit his output/function. Post-Round 9 there was increased soreness in this region which had him train through levels of discomfort which we deemed too significant to clear for play. Like Jackson, he is trending well at this stage.”

 

 

Griffin Logue, who is recovering from an ACL injury, continues to make progress and has started merging into more group training sessions. “He will continue to build his group training exposure during the week and extend his high-loading footy conditioning sessions on the weekends across the next four weeks,” White said.

 

Despite the setbacks, North Melbourne remains optimistic about their upcoming fixtures and the gradual return of key players. Fans will be eagerly watching as the team heads to Nipaluna/Hobart to take on Port Adelaide, hoping for a turnaround in fortunes and a strong performance in Round 11.