Injury blow for Martin

Sun faces race against time to return this season

GOLD Coast livewire Jack Martin may not play in the AFL again this season after succumbing to a calf injury.

The Suns confirmed yesterday that the versatile talent will miss up to a month of football with the injury that ruled him out of Saturday’s huge upset win over Sydney.

Only five rounds remain this season, leaving the 23year-old little wriggle room for a return.

“It looks like a three-to-four week injury at this stage,” football manager Jon Haines said.

“Jack’s commenced his rehabilitation and we’re really hoping that he can come back towards the latter part of the season and we’ll see how that progresses over the next couple of weeks.”

Club favourite Brayden Crossley has also been ruled out after playing through a second-quarter cheekbone fracture in the win over Sydney, while Nick Holman (shoulder) will need to be cleared to face Carlton on Saturday.

Jack Bowes (quad) and Matt Rosa (hamstring) are both in the frame for a senior return after successful comebacks in the Suns’ impressive NEAFL defeat of the Swans.

Pearce Hanley and Ben Ainsworth have recovered after both missed last week’s NEAFL clash with gastro.

Meanwhile, the NEAFL MVP Award is set for a thrilling finish with the top three contenders all polling eight votes in Round 16, as voting now becomes withheld from the public.

Canberra’s Mitch Maguire, Aspley’s Matthew Payne and Southport’s Josh Clayton all had strong performances. Maguire (71 votes) leads by three over Payne, with Clayton a further two behind, holding a 12vote lead over teammate Andrew Boston in fourth.

Gold Coast midfielder Michael Barlow stormed into the top five after polling the maximum 10 votes for his remarkable 50 disposals and 10 clearances in the Suns’ upset win over Sydney at the SCG.