bornadog
17-04-2016, 09:41 PM
Western Bulldogs midfielder Caleb Daniel has earmarked fellow youngsters Zaine Cordy and Bailey Williams as possible replacements for hamstrung star Jason Johannisen, who appears likely to miss much of the season.
The Bulldogs will release details about the extent of Johannisen's right hamstring issue on Monday, as well as the prognosis for key forward Tom Boyd, who suffered a minor shoulder dislocation shortly after Johannisen hurt himself during the Dogs' 36-point win over Carlton on Saturday night.
While the seriousness of Johannisen's ailment remains unclear, he ended the game on crutches. Dogs coach Luke Beveridge implied after the match that the half-back's issue was a long-term one, suggesting that "it's probably not going to be a two-weeker."
Prominent sports medicine expert Dr Peter Larkins told 3AW on Sunday that Johannisen was due for a long spell on the sidelines. "Johannisen's scan hasn't been done, but the expectation of that high-grade tear is almost a given. Probably 8-10 weeks [at best]," Dr Larkins said.
Tendon damage is also a possibility. If that is the case, Johannisen will require surgery, and may struggle to make it back for an expected finals campaign.
It is a further blow for the Dogs, who are already without captain Robert Murphy for the rest of the season. The veteran defender requires a knee reconstruction after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against Hawthorn in round three. Josh Prudden also requires a reconstruction after hurting his knee in the VFL on Saturday. They are, however, set to regain All-Australian backman Easton Wood for next Saturday night's match against the Brisbane Lions at Etihad. Wood has missed the past two games with a hamstring complaint.
Daniel, who continued his strong form with 23 disposals against the Blues, said that teenagers Cordy and Williams would be in line to replace Johannisen, who has been among the competition's best players over the season's first month. "We've got a couple of young half-backers which are probably really pushing for a spot. Jason doesn't look too good," Daniel said in the rooms on Saturday night.
"But Zaine Cordy [and] Bailey Williams [are in contention].
"That void will get filled. Again we get to blood some younger players again."
Cordy and Williams are in their second and first year respectively. The former is the brother of ex-Bulldogs Ayce Cordy, and played two games late last season.
Beveridge said on Saturday night that the Bulldogs were reasonably well-equipped to cope without two of their best rebounding defenders. "We played quite a few of our inside mids through there during the NAB [Challenge] to prepare them for the possibility … so we feel like we've got some boys ready to play the role, but the boys we've lost are first preference in 'Murph' and 'JJ'," Beveridge said.
"We'll need our incumbents to pick up the speed and perform a really important role that we value in our team."
While he wasn't despondent, Beveridge acknowledged his club's misfortune.
"I think someone ran over a black cat, unfortunately.
"It seems like our high defenders are going out in sympathy [with each other]."
Daniel was hopeful that Johannisen's replacement could follow the lead of upgraded rookie and former Brisbane Lions captain Jed Adcock, who had 13 disposals and kicked a goal on his Dogs debut on Saturday night.
The diminutive South Australian - who is likely to come under consideration for a rising star nomination this week - said the club had dealt with Murphy's injury in the best manner possible.
"It's obviously tough. Bob's a tremendous player and a tremendous human being. It's tough not having him run out there as a comrade and be out there. I guess you've to look at the positives, and we get to blood someone like Jed Adcock into the new colours, and he played his role really well tonight so I suppose we look at it that way."
Link (http://Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/jason-johannisen-likely-to-be-replaced-by-a-western-bulldogs-teenager-says-caleb-daniel-20160417-go89bw.html#ixzz465DIlEn3Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook)
The Bulldogs will release details about the extent of Johannisen's right hamstring issue on Monday, as well as the prognosis for key forward Tom Boyd, who suffered a minor shoulder dislocation shortly after Johannisen hurt himself during the Dogs' 36-point win over Carlton on Saturday night.
While the seriousness of Johannisen's ailment remains unclear, he ended the game on crutches. Dogs coach Luke Beveridge implied after the match that the half-back's issue was a long-term one, suggesting that "it's probably not going to be a two-weeker."
Prominent sports medicine expert Dr Peter Larkins told 3AW on Sunday that Johannisen was due for a long spell on the sidelines. "Johannisen's scan hasn't been done, but the expectation of that high-grade tear is almost a given. Probably 8-10 weeks [at best]," Dr Larkins said.
Tendon damage is also a possibility. If that is the case, Johannisen will require surgery, and may struggle to make it back for an expected finals campaign.
It is a further blow for the Dogs, who are already without captain Robert Murphy for the rest of the season. The veteran defender requires a knee reconstruction after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against Hawthorn in round three. Josh Prudden also requires a reconstruction after hurting his knee in the VFL on Saturday. They are, however, set to regain All-Australian backman Easton Wood for next Saturday night's match against the Brisbane Lions at Etihad. Wood has missed the past two games with a hamstring complaint.
Daniel, who continued his strong form with 23 disposals against the Blues, said that teenagers Cordy and Williams would be in line to replace Johannisen, who has been among the competition's best players over the season's first month. "We've got a couple of young half-backers which are probably really pushing for a spot. Jason doesn't look too good," Daniel said in the rooms on Saturday night.
"But Zaine Cordy [and] Bailey Williams [are in contention].
"That void will get filled. Again we get to blood some younger players again."
Cordy and Williams are in their second and first year respectively. The former is the brother of ex-Bulldogs Ayce Cordy, and played two games late last season.
Beveridge said on Saturday night that the Bulldogs were reasonably well-equipped to cope without two of their best rebounding defenders. "We played quite a few of our inside mids through there during the NAB [Challenge] to prepare them for the possibility … so we feel like we've got some boys ready to play the role, but the boys we've lost are first preference in 'Murph' and 'JJ'," Beveridge said.
"We'll need our incumbents to pick up the speed and perform a really important role that we value in our team."
While he wasn't despondent, Beveridge acknowledged his club's misfortune.
"I think someone ran over a black cat, unfortunately.
"It seems like our high defenders are going out in sympathy [with each other]."
Daniel was hopeful that Johannisen's replacement could follow the lead of upgraded rookie and former Brisbane Lions captain Jed Adcock, who had 13 disposals and kicked a goal on his Dogs debut on Saturday night.
The diminutive South Australian - who is likely to come under consideration for a rising star nomination this week - said the club had dealt with Murphy's injury in the best manner possible.
"It's obviously tough. Bob's a tremendous player and a tremendous human being. It's tough not having him run out there as a comrade and be out there. I guess you've to look at the positives, and we get to blood someone like Jed Adcock into the new colours, and he played his role really well tonight so I suppose we look at it that way."
Link (http://Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/jason-johannisen-likely-to-be-replaced-by-a-western-bulldogs-teenager-says-caleb-daniel-20160417-go89bw.html#ixzz465DIlEn3Follow us: @theage on Twitter | theageAustralia on Facebook)