St Kilda’s Challenges in Loss to Darwin
St Kilda faced a difficult situation in their loss to Darwin, which marked the first time since 2019 that they had to play without their co-captain, Callum Wilkie. The Saints’ star player was forced off in the second quarter due to a back injury and did not return after halftime. This loss came as a blow to the team, especially with their previous setback of losing another top player, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who had to withdraw from the game due to a lower-leg injury.
Wilkie’s absence was significant, as he has maintained an impressive streak of 164 consecutive games since his debut in 2019. He is typically rarely seen on the interchange bench, making his early exit all the more surprising. The injury occurred when Gold Coast key forward Ben King collided with him during a marking contest, resulting in the Saints’ co-captain being taken off the field.
Coach Ross Lyon expressed uncertainty about whether Wilkie and Wanganeen-Milera would be available for the upcoming match against Richmond at Marvel Stadium. “It was interesting to see our team without him – it’s going to happen. Hopefully he gets up for Richmond,” Lyon said regarding Wilkie’s potential return.
Wanganeen-Milera’s absence marked the first time he had missed a game since 2024. Lyon explained that the player was recovering from a corked leg muscle and that the decision not to risk him was made after careful consideration. “I thought he’d play, he thought he’d play, he wanted to play (against Gold Coast),” Lyon noted. However, there was some soreness, and a scan revealed a little bit of bleeding. “They think it’s a ‘corky’ still. But we couldn’t make a definitive decision. So we need another week to let it settle.”
The Saints are expected to face Richmond next, but their schedule becomes more challenging with matches against Fremantle, Hawthorn, and Sydney following soon after.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick provided updates on his team’s injured players. He mentioned that star midfielder Matt Rowell trained well earlier in the day and is confident of returning from injury for the upcoming match against Port Adelaide. “Once again, if it was a final, he probably would have played,” Hardwick stated. Rowell’s return is crucial, given the Suns’ poor performance in clearances against the Saints.
However, Ethan Read aggravated a knee injury and is likely to miss the Port Adelaide game. Meanwhile, in another incident, Collingwood captain Darcy Moore suffered a concussion during a heavy collision with Geelong’s Oisin Mullin. This will keep Moore out of the next Friday’s match against Sydney.
Key Players and Their Injuries
- Callum Wilkie: Suffered a back injury in the second quarter and did not return after halftime.
- Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera: Missed the game due to a lower-leg injury, marking his first absence since 2024.
- Matt Rowell: Training well and expected to return for the match against Port Adelaide.
- Ethan Read: Aggravated a knee injury and is likely to be sidelined for the Port Adelaide game.
- Darcy Moore: Concussed in a collision with Geelong’s Oisin Mullin, will miss the next match against Sydney.
