3 minute read
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan says he'll turn to some novices in a bid to fill the hole left by Lions forward Eric Hipwood's season-ending knee injury.
Brisbane will turn to a novice to replace forward Eric Hipwood, and their squad depth will be further tested after defender Marcus Adams became the latest key position player to join the injury list.
Adams has developed a stress reaction in his right foot and will spend the next week in a moon boot before beginning rehabilitation training.
After a foot injury suffered in round one last year wiped out the rest of his 2020 campaign, the 28-year-old had been in some of the best form of his career this season.
Adams is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Key forward Hipwood will soon have knee reconstruction surgery and will miss the next 12 months.
Fagan says he's likely to summon three-gamer Connor Ballenden or six-gamer Tom Fullarton to replace Hipwood for Friday night's crunch clash against Richmond.
While both the 199cm-tall Ballenden and 200cm-tall Fullarton are ruckmen, Fagan says they have been trained in Hipwood's attacking post.
"We will probably replace him with another 200cm-bloke who does similar things," Fagan told reporters on Tuesday.
"It's a role. And whilst it's not Eric and we're all familiar with him, it will be somebody else who has been a teammate for a while and that person will step up.
"Guys like Tommy Fullarton and Connor Ballenden have been waiting in the wings for quite some time.
"They have been practising that role for a long time and waiting for the opportunity so here it is.
"And it's amazing sometimes when opportunities pop up, how you discover that you have got another good player on your list."
Key forward Joe Daniher was fined by the AFL for staging for a free kick during Brisbane's win against Geelong on June 24.
And the former Essendon spearhead was again in the spotlight when appearing to stage for a free kick in the Lions' shock loss to St Kilda last Saturday, but avoided any match review panel charge.
Fagan said he had discussed Daniher's actions from the Cats game with the forward.
"We have had a chat about that, he's aware of it," Fagan said.
"It's a little habit that he has got and he's trying to change it.
"He was disappointed with himself the other week but it's not a big issue that I want to make. People want to talk about it but it's not a big issue for us.
"Hopefully the umpires umpire the game fairly and don't hold that against him.
"If it's a free kick it's a free kick. And if he stages, then that's no good either."
