Brad Scott isn’t buying into the “injury crisis” tag, even as Essendon’s casualty list grows longer by the week.
The Bombers will be without 11 players for their clash against Gold Coast, with Mason Redman, Darcy Parish and Kyle Langford the latest to join a mounting injury toll.
To make matters worse, key defender Zach Reid reportedly suffered another hamstring issue during Wednesday’s training, leaving the field midway through the session.
Yet for all the noise around the club’s depleted stocks, Scott remains upbeat and firmly focused on the silver linings.
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“That’s the thing about the headlines, ‘injury crisis’ and all these things – I guarantee you it’s not a crisis to those players who are on the fringe of selection,” Scott said.
“It’s an opportunity to put their name up in lights and get their opportunity they’ve been working so hard for.”
Injuries a concern, not a conclusion
Scott admitted concern over Parish and Langford, both of whom are managing recurrences of previous soft-tissue injuries, but insisted neither is being ruled out for the season.
“I’ve heard some people say, ‘That’s it for the season,’ that’s not our attitude. We’re going to rehab them as best we can and get them back playing as soon as possible,” he said.
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Parish, who has featured in just three games this season due to calf troubles, had shown promise on his return before suffering the latest setback. Langford, limited to six appearances, has continued to struggle with a lingering quad issue.
Still, Scott’s focus remains on the players available, including young ruck Angus Clarke, whose rise in recent weeks has turned heads.
“Even if we did make seven changes this week, Angus Clarke wasn’t going out regardless. I couldn’t have said that seven weeks ago.”