Dashing defender Mason Redman has been ruled out of Essendon’s blockbuster AFL clash with Carlton with a hamstring strain, while star forward Kyle Langford will have to prove his fitness.
Redman pulled up sore after Sunday’s loss to Gold Coast, while Langford was substituted out of the game with a corked hip.
The Bombers said their leading goalkicker Langford and ruckman Todd Goldstein (ankle), who was rested against the Suns, would have to get through training to prove their fitness for Sunday night’s game at the MCG.
Essendon have the bye after the Blues contest and hope Redman will recover in time for their round 15 match against West Coast.
Gun midfielder Darcy Parish has suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf strain and will be sidelined for another five-to-six weeks.
Talented but luckless defender Zach Reid will be in a race against time to feature again this season after requiring surgery on a torn pectoral muscle suffered in the VFL.
Reid has played just nine AFL games in four years, and one across the past two seasons, due to a horror run with injuries.
Given the recovery time can be up to three months, Reid would be unlikely to feature again this campaign unless the Bombers make finals.
Carlton ruckman Marc Pittonet faces a fitness test in his bid to return from a finger injury.
Kyle Langford celebrates a goal. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Geelong could regain Patrick Dangerfield from a hamstring injury against Sydney, with the skipper and forward Ollie Henry both facing fitness tests.
“Both are tracking pretty well, Dangerfield has been training with the team for close to two weeks now so he’ll be a test later this week,” assistant football manager Brett Johnson said.
“Ollie was subbed off during the game on the weekend with some hamstring awareness.
“His function was slightly limited during the game which was the reason for subbing him out, therefore he’ll be a test to play this week as well.”
St Kilda key forward Max King (knee) will have to pass a fitness test on Thursday to face twin brother Ben’s Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Suns skipper Jarrod Witts has been ruled out with a hamstring injury but is expected to return in round 15.
The Brisbane Lions are set to regain Brandon Starcevich (calf) for Friday’s clash with the Western Bulldogs, after a month on the sidelines.
Todd remembered as a WA great
Western Australian football great and former West Coast coach John Todd has died aged 86.
Todd was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2003, and made a legend in the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
He was the youngest-ever winner of the Sandover Medal as a 17-year-old with South Fremantle in his debut season in 1955 and carved out an impressive playing career before a knee injury ultimately cut it short.
Todd then made his mark as a coach.
Todd claimed six WAFL premierships – four with Swan Districts (1982, 1983, 1984 and 1990), one with East Fremantle (1974) and one with South Fremantle (1997) – and also coached WA in State of Origin and Australia in International Rules matches.
He was West Coast’s second-ever coach (after Ron Alexander and before Mick Malthouse), leading the Eagles from 1988-1989, including their first-ever finals appearance in his first year.
“John Todd was successful in every aspect of his football journey and influenced so much of West Australian football to demand the highest standards and seek for constant improvement,” AFL chair Richard Goyder said.
“To win premierships at three different clubs is an extraordinary achievement. He moulded players into great teams but I want to acknowledge too that John had an unbelievable love of the game and football people across his entire life.
“In the privilege of being able to spend time with him in recent years, he was still a regular attendee at games, engaged with everyone across football and was a great advocate for the game and what it could do for people and communities.
“He was incredibly tough, building his career after injury took away his playing days, and he had the highest standards as a coach, but he was also incredibly generous and he was a person who made our game great, particularly in WA in the time when state league football was the pinnacle of the game.”
Todd’s memory will be honoured at the Australian Football Hall of Fame inductions later this month.
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