Sun Hanley hurts hand in opener

GOLD Coast’s Pearce Hanley and Collingwood captain Scott Pendelbury were injured as Australia scored a 10-point win in yesterday’s International Rules game in Adelaide.

Pendlebury was been sent for X-rays after hurting a finger and Hanley broke a hand playing for Ireland. Pendlebury’s finger injury is on the opposite hand to the broken finger which forced him out of the last six rounds of the AFL season.

Australian coach Chris Scott admits the injuries will prompt concern in the AFL landscape over the future of the game.

“It does. It’s clearly something that is on our mind and I’m sure it’s on the minds of the Irish as well,” Scott said.

“But if we want this series to work, we have got to continue to push to get the best players out there. “And to a man, this is my third series now, every player that has been involved has loved the experience.

“There would be a little bit of surprise amongst those who haven’t been part of it as to how passionate our guys are.”

Hanley has been ruled out of the International Rules series finale in Perth next Saturday and faces a likely delayed start to his AFL preseason.