NORTH MELBOURNE
Games missed: After a miserable 2011 on the injury front, North has enjoyed much better health this season. Its best 22 players have missed just 29 games collectively through injury and suspension, with Hamish McIntosh (nine) the biggest casualty. Pre-season injuries meant Nathan Grima and Lachlan Hansen had to find fitness and form in the VFL before forcing their way back into the team, while underrated defender Scott McMahon missed six games mid-season with a debilitating virus.
Players used: North has used 34 players this season and blooded three debutants: Cameron Delaney, Sam Gibson and Brad McKenzie. It has also elevated two rookies, Gibson and Aaron Mullett, who have played 10 games between them. North's growing depth has meant former regulars such as Aaron Edwards (nine games) and Levi Greenwood (five) have spent extended stints in the VFL.
A-graders: Underlining North's good run this season, its four most important players - Andrew Swallow, Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie and Daniel Wells - are among 10 Kangaroos who have played every game. In Wells' case, this is a remarkable return given blood clots in his lungs prevented him from participating in contact training until late in the pre-season.
Current injury list: McIntosh (knee, test) Tom Curran (foot, season), Ziebell (suspension, three weeks).
Set to return: McIntosh could return this week from the lingering knee injury that has sidelined him since North's round seven loss to the Western Bulldogs. Given his extended time on the sidelines McIntosh is likely to return via the VFL, while coach Brad Scott has indicated he will then have to force his way back into the senior team as a key forward rather than a ruckman. Ziebell is in Utah building fitness at high altitude for his scheduled return against Collingwood in round 21.
Prognosis: In short, North has had a dream run with injury and will just be hoping it can continue. Even when McIntosh regains fitness and form it is questionable whether he can fight his way back into North's team given the good form of ruckman Todd Goldstein and key forwards Petrie, Hansen and Robbie Tarrant. Similarly, first-year key-position player Curran was not expected to make an impact this season, while Ziebell's Utah visit may help him finish the season strongly as Collingwood's Dane Swan did last year after a mid-season trip to Arizona.
-Nick Bowen
ADELAIDE
Games missed: Adelaide's first-choice 22 has missed just 40 games this season - a terrific run with injury - and the Crows have been able to cover their injured due to their impressive depth. Of the best 22, Richard Douglas has missed the most football (six weeks) with a hamstring injury, while Graham Johncock's back issues also kept him out of the side for six games. Taylor Walker hasn't been injured, but suspension has kept him out for five.
Players used: the Crows have used 34 players this year, equal third for least number of players used, yet have managed to blood five new players. Due to terrific form by non-selected players in the SANFL, injured players haven't been raced back into the side, which offers bit-players valuable experience while also letting the returning player find his feet.
A-graders: Adelaide's stars have had a really good run this season. The club's 2010 best and fairest Richard Douglas missed six games because of a hamstring injury, while 2009's club champion Bernie Vince missed four due to a broken hand. Walker's tackling trouble has seen him miss a fair chunk but otherwise the Crows have been well served by their elites.
Current injury list: Ricky Henderson (ankle), Brodie Martin (hamstring), Shan McKernan (jaw), Sam Shaw (eye),?Kurt Tippett (concussion).
Set to return: The main worry on Adelaide's injury list is Kurt Tippett. Having suffered three concussions in four games, it's unclear how long it will take before Tippett is completely fine. Ricky Henderson will miss up to six weeks with an ankle injury and Sam Shaw (eye) and Brodie Martin (hamstring) are a bit unknown at this stage. Shaw could be back training this week, although if news from the eye specialist is worse than hoped, he might be out for a while longer. Shaun McKernan should be fit in the next few weeks after suffering a fractured jaw.
Prognosis: You need only look at Adelaide's ladder position to work out injuries haven't hurt the club in 2012. In second position and with a favourable draw to finish the minor round, the Crows are looking at a double chance and potential home preliminary final.
- Harry Thring
BRISBANE LIONS
Games missed: The club's best 22 has missed 56 games this season. Brent Staker's knee reconstruction has kept him on the sidelines all year, while ruckman Matthew Leuenberger has played just three matches due to an ongoing achilles problem. Todd Banfield (four), Ash McGrath (four) and Simon Black (four), Josh Drummond (three), Mitch Golby (three), Jonathan Brown (two), Matt Maguire (two), Andrew Raines (two), James Polkinghorne (two) and Jed Adcock (one) have also missed some action.
Players used: The Lions have used 35 players this season, including debutants Jack Crisp, Billy Longer, Elliot Yeo and Dayne Zorko. Michael Voss has not been afraid to rotate his younger players as they start getting tired, but having five players (Hanley, Merrett, Patfull, Rockliff and Redden) play every game has helped. The Lions have had great stability, with 18 players chalking up at least 12 of 16 games this season.
A-graders: The major casualty from the Lions has been Leuenberger. He played the first three weeks, but achilles tendonitis bought the 204cm ruckman down and he has not been sighted since. Brown missed the first fortnight with facial fractures from a training mishap with Matt Maguire, while a broken hand (one week) and nagging knee injury (three) has cost Black a handful of games.
Current injury list:
Billy Longer (knee) - test
Amon Buchanan (knee) - TBC
MatthewLeuenberger (achilles) - TBC
Mitch Golby (foot) - 2 weeks
Ash McGrath (leg) - season
Brent Staker (knee) - season
Brad Harvey (ankle) - season
Bryce Retzlaff (knee) - season
Set to return: Mitch Golby is the only top team player the Lions are likely to see again this season. Rising Star nominee Golby has missed three weeks with a stress reaction in his foot and is due back in a fortnight. Leuenberger was hopeful of rejoining the reserves this weekend, but has pulled up sore since resuming training and is now a week-to-week proposition. Being late in the season, there is no guarantee he will return.
Prognosis: Aside from losing their influential ruckman, the Lions have little to complain about. They have had to patch up the odd area short-term, but all in all, physical performance manager Brett Burton and the medical staff have done a great job with minimal soft tissue and bone injuries. Ben Hudson's recruitment has covered Leuenberger's loss, while the young talls have rotated well to cover for Staker. McGrath's loss for the rest of the season hurts as he is the perfect utility, but as Yeo showed against the Suns last week, the Lions' youngsters are ready to step up.
-Michael Whiting
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CARLTON
Games missed: Carlton's top 22 has missed 87 games this season, with Jeremy Laidler spending the most time out after kneecap problems ended his season with just four games under his belt. Shaun Hampson (knee) and Lachie Henderson (groin) will also take no further part this year. Jarrad Waite (back) has been the next biggest loss with the important tall forward restricted to just six games.
Players used: Injuries have caused the Blues to reach further into their playing list than they would have liked this season, playing 36 players which has exposed their depth. The positive aspect of that scenario has seen Josh Bootsma, Andrew McInnes, Frazer Dale, Levi Casboult and Tom Bell all make their AFL debuts. Just three players - Bryce Gibbs, Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett - have played in every game.
A-graders: In addition to Waite, the team also felt the losses of Andy Carrazzo and Marc Murphy, who missed seven and six games respectively with their shoulder injuries. Injury and suspension have also seen skipper Chris Judd, Matthew Kreuzer, Andrew Walker, Chris Yarran and Kade Simpson miss games.
Current injury list: Shaun Hampson (knee) - season, Lachie Henderson (groin) - season, Matthew Kreuzer (hip) - test, Jeremy Laidler (knee) - season, Kane Lucas (hamstring tightness) - test, Mitch Robinson (calf) - test, Sam Rowe (testicular cancer) - indefinite, Kade Simpson (jaw) - 2 - 3 weeks, Zach Tuohy (back) - test, Jarrad Waite (back) - test, Andrew Walker (calf) - 3 weeks.
Set to return: The Blues are desperate to inject Waite back into their forward mix and there are positive signs on that front at last as he is set to play in the VFL this weekend. Rob Warnock, who had a late start to the season after undergoing surgery on both shoulders, will be available after serving a one-week VFL suspension. Kreuzer has battled knee and hip injuries bravely this year and is also a chance to return against the Tigers, as is Mitch Robinson.
Prognosis: A season that began with the publicly stated goal of making the top four has been profoundly affected by injuries to key players at Carlton. The Blues were the premiership favourite with several bookmakers after they toppled Collingwood in round three to remain undefeated, but then a bad loss to Essendon, that included injuries to Carrazzo, Laidler and Yarran, proved the precursor to a steady slide down the ladder. Carrazzo and Murphy have made welcome returns in the past month and Judd, Waite, Walker and Simpson should all return within two to three weeks, but the Blues' season may be beyond repair by then.
- Jason Phelan
The Blues depth has been tested, with Mitch Robinson, Marc Murphy and Kade Simpson all missing games
Picture: AFL Media
COLLINGWOOD
Games missed: Collingwood's 'best 22' have missed a combined 93 games. Andrew Krakouer hasn't played at all, while Chris Tarrant has missed 12 games and Luke Ball (13) and Alan Didak (11) are others to suffer long layoffs. Nathan Brown (seven), Ben Reid (five) and Heath Shaw, Dale Thomas, Scott Pendlebury and Sharrod Wellingham (four each) are others who have missed. From those on the cusp of the best 22, all things being equal, Brent Macaffer has missed 16 games, Ben Johnson 13 and Lachlan Keeffe seven.
Players used:
The Magpies have blooded seven players - Caolan Mooney, Peter Yagmoor, Kirk Ugle, Jackson Paine, Paul Seedsman, Marley Williams and Jamie Elliot - which means 36 players have been used in total. Travis Cloke, Tyson Goldsack, Steele Sidebottom and Harry O'Brien have played all 16 games.
A-graders: Tarrant missing 12 games because of foot, calf and shoulder problems hurt the backline, which was compounded by Brown's absence in rounds one to four and then in eight and nine, and Reid's quad problems, which have robbed him of five in total. The midfield took a hit when Pendlebury missed four with a leg fracture while Wellingham's suspensions (two weeks in rounds one and two, and three from round 16) weren't ideal.
Current injury list: This week, Krakouer and Macaffer have been upgraded to one to two weeks away while Johnson is set to play in two to three. Ben Sinclair will be tested after missing round 17 with general soreness while rookie Trent Stubbs (shoulder) is two to three away from resuming. Ball, Keeffe, Williams and rookie Michael Hartley are done for the season.
Set to return: Didak played his first game in the VFL at the weekend after he sustained his second adductor injury for the season in round 11. With the VFL team on a bye this week, it would appear he'll need a big training session this weekend before they inject him back into the seniors. Krakouer, Macaffer and Johnson are making valiant efforts to get back but only time will tell if they've got enough fitness behind them to contribute at senior level. Tarrant has played two games in a row- three if you count a VFL appearance - and has time on his side now that he's back.
Prognosis: Injuries to the backline (Brown, Shaw, Toovey, Reid, Maxwell, Johnson and Keeffe have all missed games) had Nathan Buckley tearing his hair out towards the middle of the season. It's starting to settle now, and Didak is the only one (and the suspended Wellingham) who the Pies would have penned in to return with the three long-term injuries boys considered speculative at best. Pendlebury and Swan have settled after mid-season complaints with the time off seemingly a positive given their impact on return.
- Jennifer Witham
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ESSENDON
Games missed: It has been well documented that the Bombers have been badly hit by injuries this year, mainly with soft-tissue complaints as they ramped up their new training program. If you include Jason Winderlich, who has missed every game this year as he returns from a knee reconstruction and hamstring issues, Essendon's best 22 has missed approximately 75 games through injury and suspension. This figure includes games spent in the VFL as players have returned to full fitness.
Players used: Essendon has had 33 players play at least one senior game this season, including elevated rookies Cory Dell'Olio and Mark Baguley. That number could be boosted this week, with Winderlich, Alex Browne and Elliott Kavanagh all getting closer to their first games of the year after strong VFL form. Only four Dons have played every game: midfielders Jobe Watson, Brent Stanton, Jake Melksham and Ben Howlett.
A-graders: Apart from Watson, Stanton and Dustin Fletcher, Essendon's top group of players have all been sidelined by injury at some stage this season. Michael Hurley has missed five games with separate hamstring issues and will miss this week's clash with Hawthorn. Paddy Ryder is out with a calf injury, and David Zaharakis will probably end up missing 10 weeks with his quad tear.
Current injury list: ?Kyle Reimers (hamstring) - 1-2 weeks, ?Michael Hibberd (quad) - unavailable, Michael Hurley (hamstring) - 1 week, Patrick Ryder (calf) - 2-3 weeks, ?David Zaharakis (quad) - 3-5 weeks.
Set to return: Hurley appears likely to be back against Adelaide in round 19, but Ryder and Zaharakis seem set for longer on the sidelines. With Essendon's cautious approach to injuries in mind, don't expect to see Zaharakis at least for another four weeks, while Ryder could miss another two or three games with his calf strain.
Prognosis: Despite it appearing the Bombers' injury battles have stymied any hopes of a top-four finish, coach James Hird believes the club's short-term pain will be worth it in the long run when his players are ready to challenge for a premiership. That might be the case, but it can't be ignored that this year's tilt will have been severely cut down by a run of injuries that has not seemed to cease.
- Callum Twomey
FREMANTLE
Best 22 games missed: Fremantle has lost 79 games from its nominal best 22 players, the case of Anthony Morabito clearly the cruellest blow. The young midfielder won't play this season after undergoing a second reconstruction of his left knee. The midfield has been the hardest hit area of the ground for Freo, with Nat Fyfe (shoulder) sidelined for 12 games and ruckman Aaron Sandilands (toe) seven. Key defender Zac Dawson (knee) has missed five games after establishing himself in Ross Lyon's best team, while Josh Mellington, who has missed 13 games with a serious hamstring injury, was expected to figure prominently this year as a forward.
Players used: The most important of Fremantle's depth players this year has been Jon Griffin, stepping in to play nine games and earn a contract extension. Fremantle has used 38 players, including rookie Lee Spurr, with Zac Clarke (13 games), Jack Anthony (four) and Jesse Crichton earning opportunities. Forward Michael Walters has played two games and looks set for an extended spell in the team.
A-graders: Fyfe was Fremantle's most influential midfielder in the opening two games before he injured his shoulder in round three. The 20-year-old has to be considered an A-grader after leading Fremantle for disposals and contested possessions last season and his absence has been sharply felt by the midfield. Sandilands suffered a reoccurrence of the toe injury that sidelined him for nine games last season.
Current injury list:
Nat Fyfe (shoulder) - test
Viv Michie (foot) - TBC
Aaron Sandilands (toe) - 4 weeks
Zac Dawson (knee) - test
Anthony Morabito (knee) - season
Hayden Crozier (glandular fever) - TBC
Greg Broughton (back) - test
Antoni Grover (buttock) - test
Gavin Roberts (adductor) - 1 week
Chris Mayne (calf) - test
Tom Sheridan (knee) - test
Set to return: Fyfe has been declared a certain starter against Port Adelaide by Lyon after completing a faultless rehabilitation program. The young star has been impressive on the track and is expected to slot straight back into an inside midfield role after receiving the all clear from club doctors. Dawson's knee troubles have lingered, but he is close and will boost the backline. Sandilands is still a month away and would only play again if Fremantle was a finals chance in the last two rounds.
Prognosis: The cruel reality of Fremantle's injury run this season is that the club's brightest young stars have suffered setbacks - major setbacks in Morabito's case. The club was conservative with both Fyfe and Morabito in their rehab programs, and significant resources will be committed to making sure both reach their potential. David Mundy and Michael Barlow don't figure prominently in the 'games missed' column, but their pre-season interruptions meant they took time to find their best form, which has also hurt Fremantle this year.
- Nathan Schmook
GEELONG
Games missed: The Cats' best 22 players have missed 70 games between them this year, although some have been due to suspensions rather than injuries. On the injury front, young dynamos Travis Varcoe and Daniel Menzel have endured the most frustrating seasons. Neither of them has played a senior match. Menzel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after breaking down in his comeback match in the VFL. He had suffered the same injury in his right knee during the 2011 finals series. Varcoe has not played a game at any level this year after needing multiple operations on a foot stress fracture. Promising ruckman Nathan Vardy has also missed the Cats' entire 2012 campaign due to hip problems.
Players used: Trent West and Andrew Mackie are the only players to feature in every game for Geelong, yet injuries have only been a minor reason why the club has used 36 players in its senior team. Rather, the high number of players used is all part of Chris Scott's plan to remain competitive while building a team that can win the flag in 2015. That strategy has seen the Cats blood 10 debutants this year (only Greater Western Sydney has fielded more first-gamers in 2012) and 15 in total since Scott took over as coach.
A-graders: By and large, Geelong has been able to keep its A-grade players on the field. In fact, it has been the suspensions that have posed more of an issue than injuries. Matthew Scarlett and Jimmy Bartel are among the Cats stars who have done time on the sidelines after copping bans from the Match Review Panel.
Current injury list: Varcoe (foot) indefinite; Vardy (hip) indefinite; Menzel (knee) season; Podsiadly (ankle) test; Johnson (groin) test; Christensen (shoulder) test
Set to return: Vardy is back in training and is likely to suit up in the VFL before the end of the season. However, it is unlikely that he will play in the AFL before next year. Varcoe has been doing some running, but a comeback date for him is yet to be set. Key forward James Podsiadly probably won't line up against Adelaide at Simonds Stadium on Saturday, and his ankle injury is proving more than an annoyance now that it has sidelined him for almost a month.
Prognosis: Geelong has missed the creativity and speed of Varcoe and Menzel across its half-forward line. With those two out, the niggling issues that have caused emerging star Allen Christensen to miss five games have been doubly frustrating. The Cats have also struggled to cover the loss of big men Vardy and Dawson Simpson for large parts of the season. Still, the reigning premiers have so far managed to get most of their big-name players on the park on most weekends. Although injuries have played a role in their slide down the ladder, they certainly have not been the key factor.
- Adam McNicol
Reigning premier Geelong has missed the run and carry from damaging speedster Travis Varcoe
Picture: AFL Media
GOLD COAST
Best 22 games missed: The Suns have had a nightmare run of injuries in their second season with arguably 16 of its best 22 players forced to sit on the sidelines for a total of 69 games. Nathan Bock's broken leg (10 weeks and season ending) and Jarrod Harbrow's fractured elbow (nine weeks) were the most notable. Important youngsters David Swallow (seven), Seb Tape (six), Brandon Matera (five), Tom Lynch (four) and Dion Prestia (four) also missed substantial time. Experienced personnel Campbell Brown, Michael Rischitelli and captain Gary Ablett also spent at least two weeks out as well. Charlie Dixon (five), Danny Stanley (five), Rory Thompson (four), Trent McKenzie (two) and Sam Day (two) have also missed.
Players used: With so many injuries the Suns have been forced to use 41 players, second only to GWS (44). They have unleashed debutants Aaron Hall, Alex Sexton, Kyal Horsley and Josh Hall. Just four players - Harley Bennell, Josh Caddy, Karmichael Hunt and Matthew Warnock - have played all 16 games.
A-graders: Gold Coast's two genuine stars, Gary Ablett and Nathan Bock, have both missed action. Bock's broken leg has forced him out of the past 10 games and the remainder of the season, ensuring an already inexperienced backline would come under more fire. Ablett missed matches against North Melbourne and Fremantle earlier in the season with a knee injury - ironically two of the Suns' better performances.
Current injury list:
Nathan Bock (leg) - season
Alex Sexton (hip) - season
Daniel Gorringe (Achilles) - indefinite
Jaeger O'Meara (groin) - season
Seb Tape (knee) - season
Rory Thompson (ankle) - season
Joel Wilkinson (ankle) - 1-2 weeks
Jack Hutchins (kidney) - season
Set to return: The Suns will not regain any automatic senior players for the rest of the season. Bock, Tape and Thompson will not return to the defensive end, neither will rookie Sexton in the midfield or unlucky ruckman Dan Gorringe, who has been dogged by an Achilles injury most of the season. Joel Wilkinson will be available to help Guy McKenna's rotations in the next fortnight.
Prognosis: Injuries have played a major role in the Suns' struggles in 2012. With so little experience and so little established class, they need close to their best 22 on the field each week and that just hasn't happened. Bock has been a huge loss, while Harbrow's absence severely dented the back half. The concurrent injuries to Swallow, Prestia and Richitelli put a hole in the midfield the size of Ayers Rock. With a stable team on the field the past three weeks, the consistency has been there and the competitive football has followed.
-Michael Whiting
Key Sun Nathan Bock is taken from the field after breaking his leg in Gold Coast's clash with Fremantle
Picture: AFL Media
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY
Games missed: The Giants' first-choice team has missed a combined 91 games.
Just two Giants - co-captains Callan Ward and Phil Davis - have played every game this season. Part of it has been due to the club's rotation policy, but injuries have also been a significant issue. Jon Patton has missed 11 games as he is handled delicately since knee surgery, while Dom Tyson (nine games), Steve Coniglio (five), Dylan Shiel (four) and Israel Folau (seven) have also spent time on the sidelines.
Players used: GWS has used no less than 44 players already in its first season, including 34 debutants, which equals Gold Coast's record from last year. Players have also been used in a variety of roles as coach Kevin Sheedy runs the rule over his young list with a view to next season. Tim Golds, Josh Growden and Rhys Cooyou are three more the club might try to squeeze into the senior team before the year is out, barring injury.
A-graders: Bona fide stars are a little thin on the ground at this point, but Ward is bordering on that level and hasn't missed a game. Chad Cornes has impressed in his 12 outings and is keen to play on, while fellow veteran Luke Power has managed 14. Toby Greene (two games missed), Adam Treloar (three) and Shiel (four) could find themselves in the A-grade category in the not-too-distant future.
Current injury list:
Setanta O'hAilpin (ACL) - season
Sam Reid (shoulder) - season
Tim Segrave (back) - season
Rhys Cooyou (groin) - three weeks
Dom Tyson (foot) - one week
Liam Sumner (foot) - two weeks
Josh Growden (foot) - two weeks
Dylan Shiel (foot) - two weeks
Stephen Coniglio (back) - test
Jeremy Cameron (back) - test
Adam Kennedy (illness) - test
Tim Mohr (groin) - test
Set to return: Jeremy Cameron and Steve Coniglio, two of the club's best young performers this season, face fitness tests this week and are both considered a good chance of returning to face Collingwood at Skoda Stadium. Adam Kennedy missed last week through illness and tall defender Tim Mohr is also set for a return and would make a welcome addition to a backline struggling to contain opposition teams. Dom Tyson, pick No. 3 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, would also be hoping for a solid run home after an injury-interrupted first season.
Prognosis: Injuries have been a nuisance, but the club would also be pleased with the output of plenty of its players. For example, the Giants would be content with a combined 43 games from veterans and assistant coaches Cornes, Power, Dean Brogan and James McDonald. The club has been understandably cautious with Patton, but some of its other youngsters - Greene, Treloar, Tom Bugg, Devon Smith - have been impressively durable during such a taxing first season at the highest level. Setanta O'hAilpin, Sam Reid and Tim Segrave are the only long-term injury concerns, with the majority of players available for the home stretch.
- James Dampney
HAWTHORN
Games missed: Not including Max Bailey (zero games this year), who it could easily be argued is in the Hawks' best 22, the figure is a low 45. It's 50 if you count five games for suspensions to Jordan Lewis and Brent Guerra. In addition, veterans Chance Bateman and Cam Bruce have barely been seen, nor has Xavier Ellis, and Stephen Gilham didn't return from his knee reconstruction until round six.
Players used: The Hawks have used 32 different players, with six (Ben Stratton, Matt Suckling, Ryan Schoenmakers, Sam Mitchell, Cyril Rioli and David Hale) playing all 16 games so far. Bradley Hill and Jarrad Boumann have made their AFL debuts.
A-graders: Hodge has missed 14 games thanks to calf and knee problems and Lance Franklin's hamstring tear is likely to sideline him for a third match this week. None of the other big guns (let's include Mitchell, Rioli, Josh Gibson, Shaun Burgoyne, Grant Birchall, Jarryd Roughead, Lewis and Brad Sewell in that) have missed more than two matches.
Current injury list: Andrew Boseley (shoulder - season), Jarrad Boumann (hand - TBC), Amos Frank (calf - 1-2 weeks), Lance Franklin (hamstring - 1 week), Sam Grimley (finger - 1-2 weeks), Michael Osborne (knee - season), Alex Woodward (knee - season).
Set to return: Hodge could be back as soon as this Friday night, and Franklin is only a week away. Bailey has starred in his two VFL games and will be ready if called upon - perhaps no certainty given the strong ruck form of Hale and Roughead.
Prognosis: It's been a frustrating year for Hodge, but the Hawks have maneuvered into a top four position without him. His inclusion will be a bonus in the run to the finals. Osborne's loss has been felt, but small forwards Luke Breust and Paul Puopolo have covered him well. Barring disaster, Alastair Clarkson's men look set to hit September in tip-top shape.
-Mark Magugan
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MELBOURNE
Games missed: A disastrous year on the injury front with the list remaining as long as Max Gawn's legs throughout the year. Gawn's leg was, in fact, the first major problem, as he underwent a knee reconstruction pre-season. From there it's been Colin Sylvia's back, Mitch Clark's foot, Brad Green's finger, Aaron Davey's foot, Stefan Martin's hip, Mark Jamar's calf, Liam Jurrah's wrist and ankle, and Clint Bartram's knee that have been the major injuries in a crowded casualty ward that even included rookie Leigh Williams with a brain infection that put him in an induced coma. Of the 22 picked for the first game - and replacing first gamer Josh Tynan with Colin Sylvia for the purposes of the exercise - the team has managed to play a combined 273 of a possible 352 games.
Players used: Melbourne has used 37 players this year as a new injury has seemed to crop up every week. Injuries have ranged from the niggly to the major, with the most serious being the hard to avoid impact injuries. Only Jack Trengove, Jeremy Howe, Colin Garland and Jared Rivers have played every game.
A-graders: Clark will miss 11 games by season's end. Jack Watts has missed the past two. Sylvia missed the first four rounds with a back injury, while Jamar will have missed six weeks by the time he returns around round 20 from a calf problem. Jurrah has played just one game, while Davey and Bartram managed eight games apiece.
Current injury list: With Clark (foot), Davey (foot), Bartram (knee), Bennell (knee) and Gawn (knee) out for the season and Jamar (calf) still three weeks away, stocks are thin. Facing court and an ankle injury, Jurrah's immediate prospects are uncertain. Watts (ankle) and Jordie McKenzie (groin) face fitness tests this week while an ongoing back problem continues to plague the club's first pick in last year's draft, Rory Taggert.
Set to return: Not much relief until 2013. The Demons remain hopeful Jamar will be back before the end of the year after his calf injury and Watts should return this week. It will be interesting to see whether Jurrah gets another run if he can prove his fitness before the season finishes.
Prognosis: Injuries have completely ruined a year that looked tough enough at the outset. In October 2011, Melbourne could not have imagined it would have virtually no Jurrah, little Davey and no Sylvia early. When it lost its shining light, new recruit Clark after round 12, the disastrous picture was complete. However the bonus is that if it can get its long-termers up and running in the pre-season, it will have a list that runs deep with many players exposed to senior football.
-Peter Ryan
PORT ADELAIDE
Games missed: After just three wins last year, Port Adelaide needed luck on its side to really move up the ladder in 2012. Instead the club has been decimated with injuries to key personnel. Just six players - Kane Cornes, Brad Ebert, Matthew Broadbent, Troy Chaplin, Justin Westhoff and Paul Stewart - have played every game. Overall, the club's best 22 has missed 105 matches.
Players used: 35. Given the injuries at Alberton this season, it's interesting to note the club has used so few players. The Power haven't enjoyed the same depth as their cross-town rivals this year and it shows. They've given just three players an AFL debut, although Darren Pfeiffer and Brent Renouf both played their first games for the Power, having previous AFL experience.
A-graders: Many of Port's best have missed a lot of football in 2012. Robbie Gray has missed all but two games after a horror knee injury in round four, Jay Schulz has been plagued with injuries, Dom Cassisi has missed three games, Jackson Trengove, Hamish Hartlett, Travis Boak; the list goes on. Football can be a cruel game and in 2012 it hasn't offered Port any mercy.
Current injury list: John Butcher (hip), Robbie Gray (knee), Hamish Hartlett (hamstring), Cam O'Shea (foot), Jasper Pittard (ribs/lung), Brent Renouf (knee), David Rodan (hamstring), Nick Salter (foot), Jay Schluz (abdomen), Jacob Surjan (glute).
Set to return: The Power can expect to have several good players return over the next few weeks. John Butcher's troublesome hip is getting better and Hamish Hartlett is nearing the end of his rehab on another hamstring injury. David Rodan's niggling hamstring injury might allow him to return sooner rather than later and Jacob Surjan is expected back this week. Renouf's knee is still bothering him and Cam O'Shea is unlikely to return this season. The club is hopeful Pittard can get back into the side before 2012 is over.
Prognosis: While 2012 was always going to be a slog for the Power, injuries have really hurt the side. Their best players have struggled to keep fit and the loss of Robbie Gray early in the season was unfortunately a sign of things to come. Despite the injury toll, the Power have done well to already better their 2011 tally of wins. Given more luck next year, the club will be hopeful of making some real progress.
-Harry Thring
RICHMOND
Games missed: Richmond’s best 22 has missed a total of 42 games, which is low compared to most rivals. The biggest blows have been injuries to Jake King (who’s played eight games), Dylan Grimes (nine), Tyrone Vickery (nine) and Nathan Foley (10). The groin injury to Ivan Maric might be a concern over coming weeks, but by and large the Tigers have nothing to complain about.
Players used: Before the Tigers’ bye in round 13 they’d used the fewest players in the competition, but since then there’s been weekly upheavals because of injury, suspension and, in the case of Dustin Martin and Dan Connors, a club suspension and a sacking. The biggest upheaval was felt in round 15, when the Tigers defeated Melbourne despite making seven changes. All up the Tigers have used 35 players, which ranks them mid-table.
A-graders: Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Chris Newman and Dustin Martin between them have missed just two games, which was the penalty handed out to Martin after he’d arrived late at training. Otherwise, the Tigers’ best players have trotted out in every game. Even the second-tier players have been largely blessed with good health. It’s inexperience that’s cost the Tigers rather than manpower.
Current injury list: Nathan Foley (heel - season), Tyrone Vickery (shoulder - season), Dylan Grimes (hamstring - indefinite), Matt Arnott (hamstring - three weeks), Gibson Turner (finger - two weeks)
Set to return: Jake Batchelor (knee), Jake King (knee) and Ben Griffiths (leg) are due to return either this week or next. While you’d rank none of them in the star category, they’re all in the current best 22 and would be sure to be slotted in when available.
Prognosis: Richmond has very little to complain about on the injury front. It’s a credit to the fitness staff, the players themselves and the goddess of luck that eight players have lined up every game: Alex Rance, Chris Newman, Shaun Grigg, Brett Deledio, Robin Nahas, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Tuck and Trent Cotchin. The relative health of the list gives the Tigers every chance of performing to their best as they push over the remaining six rounds for a place in the top eight.
-Paul Daffey
ST KILDA
Games missed: The Saints have had a comparatively good run with injury this year. Adam Schneider and Raphael Clarke have had the largest chunk of injury time, not playing a senior game until the round 11 game against Gold Coast. Jason Gram, Sam Fisher, Ben McEvoy and Rhys Stanley have all missed at least a month of football while James Gwilt still had to recover from last year's knee reconstruction. In total, the Saints' senior players have missed 46 games through injury.
Players used: The Saints have used 33 players this season, with four debutants in Ahmed Saad, Terry Milera, Jack Newnes and Sam Dunnell (five if you count former Eagle Beau Wilkes).
A-graders: St Kilda's upper echelon has been fairly resilient this season. Sam Fisher missed five games with a hamstring injury sustained against Hawthorn while No.1 ruckman Ben McEvoy was sidelined for six weeks with a mid-season knee injury. Veterans Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna and Nick Dal Santo are yet to miss a game so far.
Current injury list:
Warrick Andreoli (shoulder) - 3-5 weeks
Jason Blake (ankle) - 4-5 weeks
Rhys Stanley (hamstring) - 4-5 weeks
Darren Minchington (hip) - season
Set to return: Jason Blake and Rhys Stanley are still a few weeks away from returning from their respective injuries but they are the only senior players sidelined at the moment. Rookies Warrick Andreoli and Darren Minchington are the only other two players on the St Kilda injury list but even after they are declared fit, they are unlikely to push for a senior game this year.
Prognosis: Dave Misson's departure as head of conditioning was supposed to be a devastating blow for St Kilda but the club's injury stocks have been pretty thin all year. Adam Schneider's delayed start could have weakened the Saints but it only opened an opportunity for Ahmed Saad and Terry Milera to show their capabilities as small forwards. James Gwilt and Sam Fisher's absence left St Kilda a little vulnerable in the tall defensive stocks but they seem to have recovered from that.
- Luke Holmesby
SYDNEY SWANS
Best 22 games missed: The Swans have lost some key talent at times, but overall they have had an excellent run with injuries with the best 22 missing a total of 32 games. Adam Goodes picked up the first soft-tissue injury of his career, missing five games with a torn quad, while Shane Mumford has already missed seven games and then sustained a knee injury last Sunday. Luke Parker (six games) has also been absent, but Josh Kennedy, Jude Bolton, Kieren Jack, Ted Richards, Lewis Jetta and Dan Hannebery are among 11 Swans who haven't missed a game.
Players used: Stability has been a key to the Swans' rise to the top of the ladder, with only 30 players used so far this season. As well as the 11 Swans to play every match, Marty Mattner, Ben McGlynn, Ryan O'Keefe and Rhyce Shaw have all missed just one game and Nick Smith two.
A-graders: It was unusual for the club to lose Goodes, who had previously missed seven games in 14 seasons, for an extended period of time. Mumford has also been in and out of the side. But O'Keefe, Bolton and Jack have been ever present and Jetta and Richards have been models of consistency and emerged as All Australian candidates.
Current injury list:
Gary Rohan (leg) - season
Shane Biggs (lower leg) - 2-3 weeks
Eugene Kruger (hamstring) - 1-2 weeks
Tom Mitchell (foot) - 1-2 weeks
Jordan Lockyer (hamstring) - 1 week
Mark Seaby (calf) - 1 week
Shane Mumford (knee) - TBA
Set to return: The club is hopeful Mumford will only miss one week due to his bone bruising. Luke Parker, who missed three weeks with a broken collarbone, has spent the previous two matches in the reserves and coach John Longmire is keen to slot him back into the senior side. Outside of those two, Gary Rohan won't play again this year after his broken leg, but the rest of the first-choice Swans are in good shape.
Prognosis: Injuries to Goodes, Mumford, Rohan and Parker would typically be viewed as concerning for the Swans. But it is a sign of their newfound depth that they have barely skipped a beat. The improvement of Jetta and Pyke has been important, while veterans such as O'Keefe and Bolton have maintained excellent form. Parker is the main ingredient who is likely to find a place back in the side, while Tony Armstrong, Trent Dennis-Lane, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White and Harry Cunningham await their chance.
- James Dampney
Dynamic Swan Gary Rohan in pain after his leg was controversially broken by North's Lindsay Thomas
Picture: AFL Media
WEST COAST
Best 22 games missed: The Eagles have lost 87 games from their nominal best 22 players, with the forward line clearly the hardest hit area of the ground. Mark LeCras (knee) and Mark Nicoski (hamstring) won't play a game this year, while Josh Kennedy (ankle) hasn't played since round five. Andrew Embley (shoulder) has missed 14 games after missing just one in 2011.
Players used: Luckily the Eagles' depth hasn't let them down, with forwards Josh Hill (14 games) and Ashton Hams (12) stepping in to play key roles. Defender Jacob Brennan (11 games) and disciplined stopper Patrick McGinnity (13) are among 33 players the Eagles have used. No rookies, however, have earned a game.
A-graders: How different the Eagles season could look at this point of the year if LeCras hadn't torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in an innocuous training incident in February. The All Australian was on track to move into a midfield role. The loss of Kennedy, who has missed 11 games, has been a blow structurally, while Beau Waters has missed three games through a combination of suspension and injury.
Current injury list:
LeCras (knee) season
Nicoski (hamstring) season
Wilson (ankle) 8 weeks
Kennedy (ankle) 4-5 weeks
Lycett (knee) 1-2 weeks
Embley (shoulder) test
Hill (hamstring) test
Neates (foot) test
Brown (hamstring soreness) test
Set to return: Embley is expected to return from a shoulder injury through the WAFL, but it shouldn't be more than a fortnight before the 2006 Norm Smith medallist is back at AFL level. Embley's experience and ability to kick goals from the midfield will be a valuable boost before finals. Kennedy is in a race against time to return before the Eagles' September campaign. The key forward would play two games at senior level before the finals in a best-case scenario.
Prognosis: Put simply, injuries appear likely to cost West Coast a chance at this year's premiership. The Eagles sat atop the AFL ladder between rounds two and 10, before a costly loss to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. Back-to-back losses have since seen them slip out of the top four, two games adrift of second-placed Adelaide. Of this year's contenders, they have been clearly the worst hit by injuries to key players and the forward line particularly has been decimated. A round-22 clash with Collingwood at Patersons Stadium will likely decide if they finish in the top four.
- Nathan Schmook
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Best 22 games missed: 85. The long-term absences of experienced defenders Dale Morris (for all 16 games), Tom Williams (14) and Lindsay Gilbee (13), along with Ryan Hargrave (5), Dylan Addison (4), Easton Wood (five) and ChristianHoward (9), have stretched the Dogs defence. Adam Cooney (5) has also suffered ongoing knee problems, which have robbed the Dogs of much-needed midfield pace and class, and Daniel Giansiracusa (4) was also missed.
Players used: 34 - and each of them have played at least two games. These include four debutants - mature-age recruit Tory Dickson, teenage draftees Clay Smith and Daniel Pearce, and elevated rookie Tom Campbell. Another elevated rookie, Mark Austin, has played 11 games. The forward line and back-up ruck roles have undergone regular change with Jordan Roughead, Ayce Cordy, Liam Jones and Campbell being rotated.
A-graders: Apart from the losses of Cooney and Morris, the Bulldogs would be pleased with the amount of game time their stars have been able to absorb. Five top Dogs have played every game - skipper Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross, Liam Picken, Luke Dahlhaus and Shaun Higgins (now out with a hamstring injury), while Brian Lake and Bob Murphy have missed just one each.
Current injury list: Dylan Addison (jaw, available), Adam Cooney (knee, test), Shaun Higgins (hamstring, 3 weeks), Lukas Markovic (hamstring, 2-3 weeks), Easton Wood (hamstring, 2-3 weeks), Dale Morris (leg, indefinite), James Mulligan (achilles, season), Jack Redpath (wrist, season).
Set to return: The Cooney situation is the Bulldogs' most talked-about and apparently perplexing injury issue. There is a school of thought that he should be rested for the remainder of the season and start up afresh in 2013, but Cooney and the Dogs want him back playing. Morris is hopeful, though unlikely, of making a late-season return after enduring a horrific season suffering complications with the leg he broke last year. Tory Dickson should be available after an adductor problem and when Markovic and Wood return, they will add depth to the defensive stocks.
Prognosis: A mixed bag. Injuries to the likes of Cooney, Morris, Williams and Gilbee have clearly been costly with the Dogs sorely missing their playing abilities, versatility, experience and leadership. But this has enabled the Dogs to develop in other ways with other younger players being given an opportunity to strut their stuff at AFL level.
- Ben Collins
The views in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
