ST MARY’S SET TO LOSE KEY DEFENDER
ST MARY’S has suffered a “massive blow” with gun key defender Ryley Hall set to miss the rest of the year with a ruptured achilles tendon.
The three-time GFL Team of the Year backman went down midway through the third quarter in Saturday night’s match against St Joseph’s and is expected to learn his injury fate early this week.
Saints co-coach Glenn Keast said the premiership defender, who has played 134 GFL games, including 84 with St Mary’s since crossing from Grovedale at the end of 2015, would be difficult to replace.
“It’s obviously a massive blow for us, our group and for obviously Ryley individually,” Keast said.
“He’s obviously one of the absolute gun defenders in the comp. He’s the type of guy that’s very difficult to replace, that’s for sure.”
Keast said the injury had “all the classic signs of a rupture”.
Hall went down in a marking contest and was carried from the ground, unable to put any weight on his leg.
Keast hoped Hall, who claimed Gippsland Power’s best-and-fairest in 2012 and spent time on Geelong’s VFL list, would return for the start or midway through 2022.
Hall is regarded as one of the competition’s pre-eminent players, named in the GFL Team of the Year in 2017, ’18 and ’19.
He was also an interleague representative in 2017.
Keast said the club had options to cover Hall, including Geelong Falcons graduate Sam Bourke, who could be named for his senior debut in Saturday’s match against South Barwon at McDonald Reserve.
“He’s been probably our best player for three weeks in a row in the twos,” Keast said.
“He’s a key defender, about 6’4”.
“He’ll certainly step up, depending on Trent McMullan and what happens with VFL and his availability as well.
“We’ve obviously got some players there that can play that sort of role. Tom Lang has played key back — certainly 2018 he played at centre halfback.
“He might have to roll back depending on opposition.
“We’ve got some good options and we might just need to reshuffle a few things around.”
HE’S OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE GUN DEFENDERS IN THE COMP. HE’S THE TYPE OF GUY THAT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO REPLACE, THAT’S FOR SURE.”
ST MARY’S CO-COACH GLENN KEAST