Fears knee injury could end star defender Weller’s ’22 season
GOLD Coast’s time in the Darwin sun has been soured by a potential season-ending injury to star defender Lachie Weller at TIO Stadium.
It was two wins from two in the Top End for coach Stuart Dew and his men, but their thoughts and concerns will now be with the status of their defender.
Weller was having a game to remember, racking up 20 disposals and seven inside 50s, before he awkwardly fell to the ground in the third quarter.
Sprawled on the ground, he clutched for his knee and punched the turf, indicating the injury was serious.
Those concerns were further confirmed at the post-match press conference where Dew said the injury could be a ruptured ACL. “That’s what the fear is, that’s what it looked like,” Dew said.
“We still have to find out for sure, but it doesn’t look good and we’re going to miss him, he’s in the form of his career.
“It doesn’t look good when they’re in open space and then try and change direction, so our thoughts are with him and we will wrap our arms around him.”
Dew also batted away questions about his contract: “That’s the last thing on my mind at the moment.”
Meanwhile, Kangaroos coach David Noble said he had no injury concerns with star recruit Jason Horne-Francis who hobbled off late in the game.
“I haven’t had an update but there were certainly no concerns on the bench,” Noble said.
Noble said his team was too often competitive “for a bit” – primarily in the first quarter – but failed to respond after the Suns turned a 17-point deficit into a 32-point lead by halftime. North was also smashed in inside 50s – 81-36 – the Suns’ highest number in the club’s history, and the largest differential for the season, and contested possessions by 26.
“Teams shouldn’t underestimate what the Suns are doing at the moment,” Noble said. “They’re playing really well. We can do it for a bit, but it’s just not good enough.
“That’s the game, teams challenge you, you’ve got to be able to respond. The lack of response when a team challenges at the moment (is poor).”