West Coast forward Archer Reid will miss at least another fortnight with a knee injury, while high-profile recruit Brandon Starcevich enters a crucial recovery phase.
Reid's Recovery Progress
Reid has missed the last two games with a knee complaint, which Eagles high-performance boss Phil Merriman says has now settled, allowing him to return to training. “Archer’s knee has settled clinically, and he’s now in a reload phase, which he is expected to work through over the coming weeks,” he said.
Starcevich Nears Debut
It comes as Starcevich edges closer to an Eagles debut, with the club now focusing on his match fitness, having not played since last year’s grand final. “Brandon is now entering the bulk of football training and focusing on his performance block,” Merriman said.
Other Injury Updates
Veteran Tom Cole has been cleared of injury after hurting his knee in the loss to Richmond. There is some slightly good news for Jack Graham, who received positive feedback on his shoulder surgery, with his expected timeline to be on the lower end of the initial 9-11 week diagnosis. “Jack has been given the tick from the surgeon to run and sweat, so he’ll now begin his run loading,” Merriman said. “That gives us plenty of time to get him nice and fit prior to his return.”
Sam Allen's Recovery
With the Eagles desperate for midfield depth with the loss of Graham and a season-ending injury to Deven Robertson, eyes will be on draftee Sam Allen who is now a month away in his recovery from an ACL injury he suffered in his draft season. “Sam is now in unrestricted training, we’re really excited to see his athletic abilities out there on show,” Merriman said.
West Coast Round 9 Injury List
- Brandon Starcevich (calf) 2-3 weeks
- Archer Reid (knee) 2-4 weeks
- Sam Allen (knee) 3-4 weeks
- Jack Graham (shoulder) 8-9 weeks
- Tyler Brockman (knee) TBC
- Noah Long (knee) season
- Jacob Newton (foot) season
- Dev Robertson (knee) season
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