Ruck woes fear Bombers forward of Geelong conflict

Essendon are going through a possible ruck disaster forward of the blockbuster AFL conflict with Geelong as Andrew Phillips comes below scrutiny for a excessive bump on Adelaide’s Reilly O’Brien.

First-choice ruckman Sam Draper is more likely to stay sidelined for the fifth-versus-eighth showdown at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night time as he makes an attempt to beat a hip problem.

And a suspension for Phillips may drive the Bombers to name on eight-game tall Nick Bryan to shoulder the ruck load towards Cats premiership veteran Rhys Stanley.

Phillips ran previous the ball and made contact to O’Brien’s head with a bump within the closing minute of Essendon’s spectacular win over Adelaide.

O’Brien was not severely harm within the incident.

Phillips will be taught his destiny on Monday when the league’s match assessment officer delivers his evaluation.

“We wish our ruckmen to shepherd and I have never checked out it intimately on whether or not he obtained him excessive or not, however the impression did not look large,” Essendon coach Brad Scott stated.

“We’ll let the MRO care for that.”

Bryan has performed simply two video games this season – most just lately towards Fremantle in spherical 15 – and was substituted out of each.

The 21-year-old was on the emergency listing towards Adelaide.

Cult hero Draper has missed all three of Essendon’s video games because the mid-season bye and there’s nonetheless no readability round his return to motion.

“The purpose is simply to construct him as much as important coaching after which we are able to have an correct evaluation of when he’ll come again,” Scott stated.

“However I am unable to see it being this week.”

The Bombers have additional damage issues over defender Jordan Ridley, who could have scans on the left knee he hyperextended in a marking contest towards the Crows.

Ridley had the joint strapped and briefly returned to the sector on Sunday however was substituted out of the match minutes later.

Scott stated Ridley in all probability had some bone bruising, placing him unsure for the Geelong conflict.

“The docs cannot give me a definitive prognosis in the intervening time, however the reality they thought (the knee) was structurally OK and Rids needed to present it a go, that offers you a little bit of confidence,” Scott stated.

“However there aren’t any ensures till we get that scan.”

Scott additionally tried to dampen issues over star defender Mason Redman’s hamstring problem, saying the unsigned free agent “needs to be fantastic”.

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