Geelong’s injury troubles have worsened with star midfielder Max Holmes suffering what could be a season-ending ankle injury.
Just days after gun forward Jeremy Cameron underwent shoulder surgery, Holmes went down in the fourth quarter of the Cats’ 15.12 (102) to 11.9 (75) win over St Kilda on Thursday night.
The 23-year-old chased a loose ball inside 50 but had his right leg trapped underneath him and was in immediate agony.
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“Max Holmes is in trouble here, real trouble. They’re going to stop the game,” Brian Taylor said on Channel 7.
“Immediately calling for the trainers and making no effort to get up at all, as if he knew something.”
Holmes was still grimacing as he was helped off by two Geelong trainers.
“This right here could be season over,” Taylor said.
“Absolutely a key cog, so this is a bit of a tragedy unfolding here if that is an indication.”
Hamish McLachlan added: “He is in serious pain and disconsolate. You almost feel like he knows how bad it is. Let’s have our fingers crossed for one of the game’s best mids.”
Holmes appeared in relatively good spirits, even taking part in the song, while hobbling around with a moon boot and crutches after the game.
“I’m not sure how severe it is, I didn’t see what happened, but I’m really hoping he’s back and fit and ready to go in a few weeks,” Ollie Dempsey told Channel 7.
Geelong, bouncing back from five losses in their last six, stayed right in the mix for an automatic finals berth with the comfortable win over St Kilda but an injury to another star was the last thing they needed.
Cameron was ruled out for 4-6 weeks following the operation to repair his AC joint injury.
Mark O’Connor (quad) and Shaun Mannagh (hamstring) were both worked on by physios during the Saints clash, with the latter finishing the game on the bench with ice on his leg.
Geelong’s 36-year-old captain Patrick Dangerfield also copped a cork in what was his 12th game in a row, prompting calls for a rest in the coming weeks.
“I think (he needs one), especially when he looks this banged up. Because you know when he plays he’s hard at it,” Luke Hodge said.
Taylor said: “I feel like if they were going really well and sitting top two or top three he would’ve been rested by now. It’s just a necessity to play him.”
