Viney again sidelined with toe injury
Melbourne's will have to continue their quest for a first finals berth in 12 years without co-captain Jack Viney, at least for the time being.
In a worrying sign for the bull-like midfielder, Viney has been sidelined by a toe injury, having been plagued by foot issues over the last months which led him to miss games last season and the first two months of the 2018 campaign.
The Demons announced less than two hours before Saturday's game against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG that Viney had experienced early signs of stress in his toe. He was replaced in the selected side by Mitch Hannan, and will be monitored in the coming days.
Melbourne's football operations chief Josh Mahoney said the club was still optimistic Viney would return later in the season.
“Jack alerted our medical team to some discomfort he was experiencing in his toe late on Friday,” Mahoney told the club's website.
“A scan on Friday showed signs of stress in his toe. Whilst there is no crack, given his recent injury history, we have decided the best course of action is to withdraw Jack from today’s clash with the Western Bulldogs.
“We will have further clarity on a timeframe early next week, although at this stage, we do expect Jack to return during the latter part of the season.”
Viney, 24, missed less than three weeks last year with a plantar fascia issue, later conceding he came back too soon. A recurrence of the issue later in the year led Viney to undergo surgery, and he didn't play until round nine this year after the Demons had hoped he would be available for the season opener.
The 2016 best and fairest is averaging more than 25 disposals across his seven senior games in 2018.