Demons upset injury-hit Dockers in AFL

Fremantle have lost Jesse Hogan and Stephen Hill to injury against Melbourne in a 14-point AFL upset at the MCG.

Jesse Hogan

Fremantle's Jesse Hogan has been injured in the Dockers' 14-point AFL loss to Melbourne. (AAP)

Fremantle are confident star recruit Jesse Hogan has not suffered a recurrence of his serious foot injury in their upset AFL loss to Melbourne.

The Dockers suffered multiple hits on Saturday to their growing finals hopes, with Stephen Hill also injuring a hamstring in the upset 14-point loss at the MCG.

Michael Walters is another concern after being reported for headbutting Demons opponent Jay Lockhart.

And Harley Bennell's wretched run continued when he sustained a lower right leg injury on Saturday in the WAFL.

Bennell was on crutches after the first-quarter incident, with scans to assess the extent of the damage.

The former Sun had been playing his fourth-straight WAFL game, but his hopes of an AFL recall will be put on ice again.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon was upbeat after the loss to Melbourne that the injuries to Hogan and Hill were not serious.

While disappointed they lost, Lyon also noted Fremantle had enjoyed a solid season so far.

This was Hogan's first game against his old club and his opponent was Stephen May, who came to Melbourne after the Demons traded Hogan to the Dockers.

Hogan did not survive the first quarter.

Lyon said club doctors reported Hogan's injury was not in the navicular bone area - the problem that sidelined him late last season.

Navicular injuries are among the most feared in the AFL, given how long they can take to heal and their capacity to end careers.

"I'm concerned ... Jesse was really concerned as well,' Lyon said.

"It was always going to be a tough day playing your old club ... in particular, a player where you have been since you were 16 or 17.

"So it didn't pan out well, but it is done and dusted now."

Down to two fit players on the bench, Fremantle clearly ran out of gas and Melbourne sealed their fourth win of the season with four goals to one in the last quarter.

Walters was reported for an incident with Lockhart late in the third term.

Demons co-captain Nathan Jones pushed over Walters and that ended up costing a Melbourne a goal.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin was pleased Jones' teammates let him know about it at three-quarter time and that the Demons did so well to achieve the win.

They have come out of their mid-season break with a reorganised coaching staff and a determination to gain something from a disastrous season so far.

"It wasn't perfect today, but they hung in there and, in the end, I thought we just wore them down, especially around the footy," Goodwin said.

"It was just a good team effort."

Max Gawn and Jack Viney starred, while Tom McDonald returned to form with three goals and key defender Sam Frost also had a great game, despite his sketchy disposal.

Captain Nat Fyfe, Walters, Bradley Hill and Luke Ryan were best for the Dockers.


Share
3 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world