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Essendon injury hits keep coming in AFL

3 minute read

Essendon's horror run with injury has continued with Orazio Fantasia and Jayden Laverde ruled out for multiple weeks ahead of Friday's AFL clash with Brisbane.

ORAZIO FANTASIA.
ORAZIO FANTASIA. Picture: Morne de Klerk/Getty Images

Essendon have suffered fresh blows to their AFL finals push with Orazio Fantasia and Jayden Laverde both ruled out of action for multiple weeks through injury.

Fantasia was withdrawn from last week's win over Adelaide with a calf strain and will miss another three or four weeks, while Laverde will be sidelined for up to two months with an ankle syndesmosis injury.

That timeline could potentially keep the 24-year-old out for the rest of the home-and-away season in a condensed campaign.

"The main concern coming out of the Adelaide game was Jayden's ankle injury," Bombers medical boss David Rundle said.

"He got his foot caught in a tackle in the second quarter and wasn't fit to continue playing.

"He has sustained a syndesmosis injury (high ankle sprain).

"He saw a surgeon this morning (Tuesday) and he'll have an arthroscopy later today so it's likely he'll be sidelined for about six to eight weeks."

Fantasia's latest setback continues a horror run with injury for the speedster over the last three years.

"Orazio strained his calf in the final main training session before the game last week," Rundle said.

"An MRI scan confirmed the injury and he'll look to run in the next seven to eight days, and will probably miss the next three to four weeks."

Essendon have endured a tough season on the injury front and second-placed Brisbane this Friday night.

Key duo Jake Stringer (syndesmosis) and Cale Hooker (calf) are both at least three weeks away from returning, while captain Dyson Heppell (ankle), Joe Daniher (groin/calf) and Patrick Ambrose (foot) are all out of action indefinitely.

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