Essendon’s thrilling three-point win over North Melbourne has come at a cost, with scans confirming a significant hamstring injury to Jordan Ridley and a fractured foot for Harrison Jones.
Both were casualties from Thursday night’s 65-62 victory at Marvel Stadium, with Jones stretchered off after a painful ankle dislocation and Ridley unable to finish the match due to hamstring tightness.
Ridley sidelined, Jones avoids worst-case scenario
Scans have since revealed a high-grade hamstring strain for Ridley, meaning the 2020 Crichton Medallist is likely to miss up to two months.
“Jordan is a key player for us, and to lose him for a period is tough,” football boss Dan McPherson said. “He’s an important part of our backline, and it's a significant loss, but we have confidence in our defensive group to step up in his absence.”
Meanwhile, in more encouraging news, Jones has avoided surgery despite a suspected ankle fracture. While scans did show a small fracture in the base of his foot, he faces a shorter-than-expected recovery period.
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“Jones’ consistent presence in the team — playing 21 games last season and all seven this year — is a testament to his hard work since his 2023 season ended early,” McPherson said. “This is a setback, but we have full confidence in his resilience and his upbeat personality to tackle this head-on.”
The young forward was in clear distress after landing awkwardly in a boundary-line contest and was taken to the hospital post-game.
On the other hand, forward Jade Gresham has also been ruled out of next week’s clash with Sydney after sustaining a low-grade adductor injury.
The Bombers will need to navigate the next month without three of their first-choice players, with matches against the Swans, Bulldogs, Tigers and Lions looming.