Jenkins back soon

TALK about a turnaround: less than a week ago, Crows key forward Josh Jenkins was being carted from Adelaide Oval with a suspected serious knee injury after kicking four instrumental goals in his side’s win over Richmond.

But he’s revealed that he could be back as soon as Round 17’s clash against the Gold Coast on July 13.

“That [initial diagnosis of] four to six weeks was a first number that was mentioned, but the more I walk around and start to feel good, the more I think perhaps that four weeks is a little bit over,” Jenkins told Foxtel’s AFL 360.

“First thoughts were that it was quite severe and it looked a bit ugly. I’ve been able to suck it up and watch the replay a few times and it doesn’t look great, everything is pointing to a pretty speedy recovery.”

As his knee buckled underneath him during last week’s 33-point win over Richmond, it seemed a cruel blow to Jenkins, whose 2019 season has been clouded by being dropped. But he’s philosophical about it all and admits that he’s not taking the setback as badly as he might if this injury had occurred in his first game back in the seniors.

“If I hadn’t been able to get back and prove I still had something to offer at AFL level, I think I would have been pretty rattled,” Jenkins said.

“But I was able to get back and play three almost full games and play quite well and build each week.” ANDREW Gaff has apologised for the “disrespect” shown to his punch victim Andrew Brayshaw during hijinks at Eagles training.

In a video uploaded to the Eagles’ Instagram page, West Coast players could be heard shouting Brayshaw’s name while Gaff took a shot on goal as part of a birthday tradition at the club.

Gaff punched Brayshaw in the face during last year’s Western Derby, leaving the Docker with a fractured jaw and three dislodged teeth. Gaff was suspended for eight weeks for the strike.

The star Eagle said he did not hear the taunts but was disappointed when he got a call at 5.30 last night.

“I don’t have Instagram … I didn’t hear it,” Gaff said on Perth’s Mix FM.

“It’s disappointing, no doubt, and poor taste. It’s disrespectful to Andrew, more than it is to me.

“I’ll have a chat to, if we know who it is, at training today, and we want to apologise as a club.

“It shouldn’t happen. It’s disappointing.”