Collingwood ruckman Oscar Steene has suffered a devastating blow just weeks after making his AFL debut, with scans confirming a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The 22-year-old's knee buckled during a ruck contest in the third quarter of the Magpies' six-point loss to Sydney on Friday night.
End of a Promising Start
The injury brings an abrupt end to what had been a promising start to Steene's career. He had played eight consecutive games since his first call-up, which he described as a "dream come true." Collingwood football boss Charlie Gardiner expressed the club's disappointment, saying, "Oscar has worked extremely hard over the past few years to overcome injuries and get his opportunity at AFL level, so we are all incredibly disappointed for him."
Gardiner added, "Since debuting earlier this year, Oscar has been an exciting addition to the team with his athleticism and competitiveness, suggesting he has a bright future ahead. This is an unfortunate setback for Oscar which we'll support him through but he is a resilient and determined young guy who we know will put everything into his recovery."
Impact on the Team
In the absence of Steene, Jack Buller and Dan McStay were tasked with filling the ruck void against the Swans but struggled against an in-form Brodie Grundy. Grundy, a former Magpies ruckman who won the Goodes-O'Loughlin Medal for his best-on-ground performance, expressed his concern for Steene. "I hope Oscar's okay, like it looked quite bad, really," Grundy said. "Best wishes to him. He's a great young talent. I've been watching him all year, and he gave me a few headaches there. He can jump through the roof. Best wishes to him, hopefully he's okay."
Steene's absence will be partially covered by the return of No.1 ruck Darcy Cameron, who missed the Swans clash due to an ankle injury. Collingwood captain Darcy Moore and Pat Lipinski are also expected to return after concussions. Coach Craig McRae expressed optimism about their availability, stating, "We're hopeful. They've done everything to now and are getting through next week, and they're likely to be available. Darcy Cameron's likely to be available. We'll get a few troops back. 'Pendles' will be back for his big milestone, we're looking forward to celebrating that."
Pendlebury's Milestone
McRae defended his decision to rest veteran Scott Pendlebury for the second time in three rounds, allowing the 38-year-old to play his 433rd game and break the VFL/AFL games record in front of a home crowd at the MCG next week against West Coast. "Would you want to celebrate the record for the most games in the history of the game here tonight -- or would you rather do it next week at the MCG?" McRae said. "That's a simple question, and respectfully, when 'Pendles' has played that many games, we want to make sure that we celebrate him in the right manner. His body isn't as bulletproof as you think it is. Five and six-day breaks, all the data says that he's just getting to the line, and we're looking after him, and we'll celebrate him appropriately."
Key forward Tim Membrey (hamstring) could also return for the Magpies, while midfielder Harry Perryman is at least two weeks away from playing.
