Essendon has officially ruled out midfielder Darcy Parish from Saturday’s match against rivals Hawthorn after he “tweaked” his hamstring during training. Initially, the club had hoped the minor injury wouldn’t affect Parish’s chances of playing in Round 1, but the 26-year-old could now miss several matches. The Bombers have disclosed that Parish might be sidelined for up to two weeks due to the hamstring issue, which puts his availability for the Round 2 game against Sydney in doubt.
On a brighter note, Essendon will have young midfielder Ben Hobbs available for the season opener at the MCG. Hobbs, a former first-round pick, has been recovering from a shoulder injury since February and recently came through a VFL practice match without any issues, alongside ruckman Sam Draper and new draftee Nate Caddy. Hobbs is now aiming for a spot in coach Brad Scott’s plans.
Experienced midfielder Dylan Shiel could also be considered for selection after returning to full training this week for the first time since last season. Shiel had to undergo surgery on his foot during the off-season.
Shiel has been listed as a test for Round 1 but may need another week of building up his workload before returning to AFL level.
Defender Jake Kelly is also in contention to play this week after recovering from a recent hamstring injury. His return is timely as backline players Jordan Ridley (quad) and Kaine Baldwin (foot) have suffered setbacks in the pre-season. Ridley is expected to be out for up to three weeks, while Baldwin (13 weeks) and forward Tex Wanganeen (five weeks) are also in rehabilitation.
Essendon will face Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday, with the game set to start at 1:45pm (AEDT) as both teams kick off their seasons.
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