logo
Cruel ACL blow wrecks Dockers draftee's debut season

Cruel ACL blow wrecks Dockers draftee's debut season

Perth Now4 days ago
Fremantle draftee Holly Egan has been ruled out of the upcoming AFLW season after scans revealed an ACL injury following their practice match win over West Coast.
Egan was the Dockers' second pick in last year's draft, taken at No.34, with the Murray Bushrangers defender noted for her speed and athletic craft and has been trialled across half-back through the pre-season so far.
However, the 19-year-old will now spend her first year in the rehabilitation group, with Fremantle's head of AFLW Claire Heffernan saying the club would support her as best they could.
'Football can be a tough sport at times, especially with Holly being a draftee,' Heffernan said.
'She has already made a significant impact on the group, not only with her football ability but also the connections she has made with her teammates and staff since arriving here. Holly Egan in her Vic Country colours last year. Credit: Josh Chadwick / AFL Photos
'We are naturally all devastated for Holly and will do everything we can to support her during her recovery from this injury, which she will attack with the same tenacity and determination she has shown since joining the team.'
Egan will be sent for surgery before a timeline for her return next season will be finalised.
The Docker is the sister of Richmond star Grace Egan, who she credited for helping her make her way onto an AFLW list.
'She's helped me so much and I think that's what got me over the line this year,' Holly said earlier this year.
'My drive to want to be drafted, I think that's come from her.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Where Fremantle Dockers' finals hopes sit ahead of clash with Carlton Blues
Where Fremantle Dockers' finals hopes sit ahead of clash with Carlton Blues

West Australian

time18 minutes ago

  • West Australian

Where Fremantle Dockers' finals hopes sit ahead of clash with Carlton Blues

Fremantle have officially hit the business end. And the task is now simple — just keep winning. The high-flying Dockers — who have won nine of their past 10 games — jumped above Greater Western Sydney into sixth on the ladder on Thursday after the Giants were belted by the Western Bulldogs. But the Dogs' victory means Justin Longmuir's side is likely now needs to win three of their remaining four games to play finals. That run starts with a clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium on Sunday, which they will enter as heavy favourites. Fremantle then take on Port Adelaide, reigning premiers Brisbane and the Bulldogs in the final month of the season. According to Champion Data, that is the eighth hardest run home of any side. The Bulldogs' stunning 88-point win over the Giants means their blockbuster round 24 match against the Dockers is already looming large as the one set to decide both teams' finals hopes. If Luke Beveridge's side had lost, the Dockers would have almost certainly made finals by winning just two of their four remaining matches, taking the heat off their end to the season. It means Fremantle fans should be right behind the Bulldogs' opponents across the next two weeks — and that includes West Coast. The eighth-placed Bulldogs play battlers Melbourne off a 10-day break next Sunday, before they take on the last-placed Eagles at Marvel Stadium. Beveridge said they are not looking any further than that clash with the Demons. 'It is that cliché about just the next opponent. We have got Melbourne at the 'G on a Sunday, which is a fair way away now, so we have a bit of time to think about it, which is not always a good thing,' Beveridge said. 'We really don't look much further.' GWS are the only top-nine team the Bulldogs have beaten this season. It's the stat most likely to haunt them as they try to pip the Dockers in the race to the finals. 'We understand the criticism around not necessarily being able to eek our way further up the later and beating some teams above us,' Beveridge said. 'We understand that, we have got to own up to all of that.' The Giants' defeat brings them back down into the pack. They could have cemented their place in the Thursday night blockbuster. 'The Bulldogs felt like they were playing for their season and clearly we weren't,' coach Adam Kingsley said. 'We'd prefer it didn't happen, but we have got an opportunity to respond. I don't think that (the performance) is us, and it hasn't been us for a long time, but it was tonight.' Fremantle star Hayden Young's return has helped turbocharge their run to the finals. He told The West Australian earlier this week the team's best football was good enough to beat any of their rivals at the top end of the ladder. 'We beat top of the ladder (Collingwood) last week, so it just proves to us that, you know, when we can play our brand for longer, we can beat anyone. And we keep believing in that and keep working on those few areas about not falling away,' Young said.

Dog and Dogga all smiles as Sean Darcy hits his straps
Dog and Dogga all smiles as Sean Darcy hits his straps

The Advertiser

time11 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Dog and Dogga all smiles as Sean Darcy hits his straps

Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy is finally pain free and ready to hit the tail end of the season with a bang - and his dog couldn't be happier. The Dockers (13-6) have won nine of their past 10 matches to put themselves in the mix to nab a top-four berth with just four games will start as hot favourites in Sunday's clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium, and follow-up wins against Port Adelaide (away), Brisbane (home) and the Bulldogs (away) would almost certainly net them a prized double chance come finals endured soft tissue injuries to go with knee and ankle complaints across 2023 and 2024, and there were more questions about his durability following a slow start this year. But the 27-year-old has built nicely over recent weeks, and importantly is now pulling up well from games."It wasn't great before," Darcy said of his next-day soreness following matches. "My dog didn't like me too much the next day after games. I wasn't taking him for walks too much. "I'm pulling up a lot better now, and that's a credit to our rehab staff and our strength and conditioning staff." The ruck combination of Darcy and Luke "Dogga" Jackson, which has come under heavy scrutiny in the past, is starting to pay big dividends. The evolving nature of the relationship means that when Darcy is in the ruck, Jackson often spends time as a big-bodied midfielder, giving Fremantle an X-factor. "I love the big fella. We're quite close off field as well, which makes it a bit easier," Darcy said. "We're pretty selfless, both of us." One quandary Darcy has encountered this year is the big question of who he should hit it to when he's competing for a ruck tap. Hayden Young, Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Shai Bolton are all A-grade midfielders, and Jackson is just as hungry to receive the ball when he's part of the engine room. "I've got to keep them all happy - that's half the battle," Darcy said with a laugh. "But no, we're a pretty selfless group. If we're winning, that's the main thing." Young, playing just his second match back from hamstring surgery, won the Glendinning-Allan medal as best afield for his 23-disposal, three-goal display against West Coast last week. "I had some chats with him in rehab, and that's a pretty dark place when you have multiple surgeries or multiple repeat injuries," Darcy said. "He put his head down, and he worked, and you saw what kind of player he is." Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy is finally pain free and ready to hit the tail end of the season with a bang - and his dog couldn't be happier. The Dockers (13-6) have won nine of their past 10 matches to put themselves in the mix to nab a top-four berth with just four games will start as hot favourites in Sunday's clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium, and follow-up wins against Port Adelaide (away), Brisbane (home) and the Bulldogs (away) would almost certainly net them a prized double chance come finals endured soft tissue injuries to go with knee and ankle complaints across 2023 and 2024, and there were more questions about his durability following a slow start this year. But the 27-year-old has built nicely over recent weeks, and importantly is now pulling up well from games."It wasn't great before," Darcy said of his next-day soreness following matches. "My dog didn't like me too much the next day after games. I wasn't taking him for walks too much. "I'm pulling up a lot better now, and that's a credit to our rehab staff and our strength and conditioning staff." The ruck combination of Darcy and Luke "Dogga" Jackson, which has come under heavy scrutiny in the past, is starting to pay big dividends. The evolving nature of the relationship means that when Darcy is in the ruck, Jackson often spends time as a big-bodied midfielder, giving Fremantle an X-factor. "I love the big fella. We're quite close off field as well, which makes it a bit easier," Darcy said. "We're pretty selfless, both of us." One quandary Darcy has encountered this year is the big question of who he should hit it to when he's competing for a ruck tap. Hayden Young, Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Shai Bolton are all A-grade midfielders, and Jackson is just as hungry to receive the ball when he's part of the engine room. "I've got to keep them all happy - that's half the battle," Darcy said with a laugh. "But no, we're a pretty selfless group. If we're winning, that's the main thing." Young, playing just his second match back from hamstring surgery, won the Glendinning-Allan medal as best afield for his 23-disposal, three-goal display against West Coast last week. "I had some chats with him in rehab, and that's a pretty dark place when you have multiple surgeries or multiple repeat injuries," Darcy said. "He put his head down, and he worked, and you saw what kind of player he is." Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy is finally pain free and ready to hit the tail end of the season with a bang - and his dog couldn't be happier. The Dockers (13-6) have won nine of their past 10 matches to put themselves in the mix to nab a top-four berth with just four games will start as hot favourites in Sunday's clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium, and follow-up wins against Port Adelaide (away), Brisbane (home) and the Bulldogs (away) would almost certainly net them a prized double chance come finals endured soft tissue injuries to go with knee and ankle complaints across 2023 and 2024, and there were more questions about his durability following a slow start this year. But the 27-year-old has built nicely over recent weeks, and importantly is now pulling up well from games."It wasn't great before," Darcy said of his next-day soreness following matches. "My dog didn't like me too much the next day after games. I wasn't taking him for walks too much. "I'm pulling up a lot better now, and that's a credit to our rehab staff and our strength and conditioning staff." The ruck combination of Darcy and Luke "Dogga" Jackson, which has come under heavy scrutiny in the past, is starting to pay big dividends. The evolving nature of the relationship means that when Darcy is in the ruck, Jackson often spends time as a big-bodied midfielder, giving Fremantle an X-factor. "I love the big fella. We're quite close off field as well, which makes it a bit easier," Darcy said. "We're pretty selfless, both of us." One quandary Darcy has encountered this year is the big question of who he should hit it to when he's competing for a ruck tap. Hayden Young, Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Shai Bolton are all A-grade midfielders, and Jackson is just as hungry to receive the ball when he's part of the engine room. "I've got to keep them all happy - that's half the battle," Darcy said with a laugh. "But no, we're a pretty selfless group. If we're winning, that's the main thing." Young, playing just his second match back from hamstring surgery, won the Glendinning-Allan medal as best afield for his 23-disposal, three-goal display against West Coast last week. "I had some chats with him in rehab, and that's a pretty dark place when you have multiple surgeries or multiple repeat injuries," Darcy said. "He put his head down, and he worked, and you saw what kind of player he is."

Fremantle Dockers remain unchanged for pivotal clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium
Fremantle Dockers remain unchanged for pivotal clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium

West Australian

time11 hours ago

  • West Australian

Fremantle Dockers remain unchanged for pivotal clash with Carlton at Optus Stadium

Fremantle will take an unchanged team into their clash with Carlton in a pivotal weekend for the club's finals pursuit. In a round where much of the competition's top eight play each other, the Dockers have the chance to earn a place in the top five with a win over the Blues at Optus Stadium. The Western Bulldogs have already done the men in purple a favour, belting the Giants by 88 points to lift Fremantle into seventh on percentage, while they could also jump Hawthorn and Brisbane should those two sides lose to Adelaide and Collingwood, respectively. Hayden Young will likely play increased minutes after being subbed out in his Glendinning-Allan Medal-winning performance in the western derby as the three-pronged attack of Josh Treacy, Pat Voss and Jye Amiss will put pressure on Carlton's struggling defence. The Blues are missing Charlie Curnow, whose season is over after knee surgery, as well as former Docker Adam Cerra. Sam Docherty retired after last week's clash with Hawthorn. Fremantle will need to overcome a poor record against the Blues, having won just one of their past five meetings, with Carlton claiming their last clash at Adelaide Oval in 2024 by 10 points. Alex Pearce will miss a fourth consecutive game. However, Justin Longmuir said he was confident the key defender would be ready to play a significant role in the last month of the season after battling shin splints. 'We've probably been a little bit more conservative this time. So that should hold him in good stead,' Longmuir said. Fremantle resisted the urge to bring dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe straight back into the seniors as a sub, opting to instead give him a run in the WAFL with Peel Thunder. Sunday, Optus Stadium, 3.10pm DOCKERS B: L Ryan B Cox O McDonald HB: H Chapman K Worner J Clark C: J O'Meara H Young N O'Driscoll HF: S Switkowski P Voss S Bolton F: M Frederick J Treacy J Amiss FOLL: L Jackson C Serong A Brayshaw I/C: S Darcy M Reid B Banfield N Erasmus I Dudley EMG: B Walker W Brodie J Draper BLUES B: A Saad J Weitering M Carroll HB: L Cowan H O'Farrell N Haynes C: B Acres P Cripps C Lord HF: Z Williams J Motlop O Hollands F: L Fogarty H McKay W White FOLL: T De Koning G Hewett A Moir I/C: M Pittonet F Young L Young F Evans C Durdin EMG: J Binns J Boyd H O'Keeffe

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store