St Kilda suffers huge double injury blow
Lowly St Kilda have been dealt two serious injury blows, with Jake Carlisle puncturing a lung and Josh Bruce breaking his leg.
Bruce had been due to return to the seniors this week following a lengthy layoff with a back injury but suffered a fractured fibula after colliding with a teammate at training. He is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Carlisle should only miss Saturday's game against Port Adelaide after a complication in the treatment of a rib injury sustained in the win over Melbourne last week.
"There is a small risk in treating rib injuries that this type of complication can occur,” Saints football chief Simon Lethlean said.
“We’d love to have them both out there this weekend but the reality is they won’t be, and we will need guys to step up and fill the void.
“We have seen a host of young players take their opportunity over the course of the season, and we need this to continue this week.”
The Saints, who are in form, winning two straight matches, had already lost Nathan Brown to a hamstring injury and Josh Battle to a fractured eye socket this week.
St Kilda have endured a difficult year with injury, with Dylan Roberton, Sam Gilbert, Jarryn Geary, Jimmy Webster and Tim Membrey among those to have spent time on the sidelines.
The Saints will release their full team on Thursday evening.