Another young West Coast Eagles forward will miss a chunk of the 2018 season after scans revealed Daniel Venables’ ankle injury will sideline him for at least two months.
Venables, who made his debut in round one, had shown promise in his opening four games, but will now join fellow debutant Liam Ryan on the long track towards a full recovery.
He suffered a similar injury to the one sustained by Ryan a week earlier in the thrilling victory against Geelong.
Venables was having a profound influence against Gold Coast before the ankle injury in the third term. The club was hopeful of a positive scan result, but unfortunately that was not the case.
Vice-captain Luke Shuey and defender Brad Sheppard are both listed as tests, but they should be fit to take their place against Carlton at the MCG on Saturday. Shuey incurred a toe injury that flared up in the opening term while Sheppard received another heavy knock to the same spot on his quad that was corked in the previous game.
The good news as that big-bodied midfielder Brendon Ah Chee is ready to play his first game for East Perth.
Ah Chee, who suffered an ankle injury in JLT1 against his former club Port Adelaide, completed a solid training session last Saturday and has been given the medical tick of approval to play for the Royals against Perth.
Ruckmen Tony OIango and Nathan Vardy will need to wait another week before they resume, while young midfielder Hamish Brayshaw is still a month from playing as the club takes a conservative approach to managing his knee injury.
Injury list
Brendon Ah Chee (ankle) test
Hamish Brayshaw (knee) 4 weeks
Eric Mackenzie (toe) indefinite
Tony Olango (knee) 1 week
Jack Redden (shin) test
Liam Ryan (ankle) 11 weeks
Brad Sheppard (thigh) test
Luke Shuey (toe) test
Nathan Vardy (adductor) 1 week
Daniel Venables (ankle) 10-12 weeks