Top-four hopefuls Melbourne have copped a double blow with an ambulance called for Dan Turner before Changkuoth Jiath pulled up lame in their clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.
The Demons trailed for the entire first half against an impressive Kangaroos outfit before fighting back in the third quarter to cruise towards a 13.14 (92) to 11.10 (76) win — their 12th of the AFL season.
But it ended on a sour note with Turner needing medical attention after copping a knee to the ribs in a second-quarter marking contest.
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“He is not well,” Jason Dunstall said on Fox Sports.
Turner, in clear pain and grabbing at his side, hobbled off the field to be checked over and initially played on.
But the decision was eventually made to rule him out for the game, and an ambulance arrived early in the fourth quarter to take him to hospital for precautionary scans.
That news emerged just after Jiath needed to be helped from the field with a soft-tissue injury. Nathan Buckley assessed it “looks like a decent” tear.
“Sad news for this year’s pick-up, 11th game for this season with his new club after being traded by Hawthorn,” Dwayne Russell said.
“Lived his whole footy life on the selection borderline.”
Superstar Kysaiah Pickett needed treatment after having his mouth cut open early in the second term.
Melbourne captain Max Gawn also needed painkillers in the first half, clearly sore from a knee to his right leg in a ruck contest but played out the game.
The skipper went into defence in the second half and joked he was willing to go back full-time after Turner and Jiath went down.
“I gave it a good go today — got a couple of good contested ground balls, a couple of loose marks, that was nice,” Gawn said.
“But I’m happy to play wherever (coach Steven) King wants me to play.”
More to come…
