Essendon's Jordan Ridley Suffers Fresh Injury Setback Ahead of Anzac Day Showdown
Essendon Football Club has been dealt a significant blow with defender Jordan Ridley expected to be sidelined due to a calf injury, casting serious doubt over his availability for the highly anticipated AFL Anzac Day blockbuster against arch-rivals Collingwood. The injury occurred during Essendon's narrow away loss to Gold Coast on Saturday, just after Ridley had made a successful return to the field in Gather Round, helping the Bombers break a 17-game losing streak.
Captain McGrath Expresses Pessimism Over Ridley's Recovery Timeline
Essendon captain Andrew McGrath addressed the media on Monday morning following a wreath-laying ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance, expressing caution regarding Ridley's recovery. "I don't think so at this stage ... with his history we're being pretty cautious with his approach," McGrath stated when questioned about Ridley's chances of playing on Anzac Day. "I don't think this weekend will be realistic. Obviously Jordan is a really important member of our team — culturally, and on the field. We'll see how the injury unfolds. I feel for 'Rids' at the moment, it's been a tough run for him."
Ridley, recognized as one of Essendon's most crucial players, has endured a challenging injury history, managing only 10 games last season. His latest setback adds to the Bombers' concerns as they prepare for one of the AFL's marquee events.
Collingwood's Darcy Moore Optimistic About His Return from Hamstring Injury
In contrast to Essendon's injury woes, Collingwood captain Darcy Moore provided a positive update on his own recovery from a hamstring injury that cut short his season debut in round four. "I'm feeling pretty good — in great news, I had a really good session last Friday, so I made a couple of really big breakthroughs," Moore revealed. "The body feels awesome coming into this week ... watch this space. It's been a challenge, obviously. Clearly, getting injured 20 minutes into my first game of the season was not ideal. Sometimes that just happens."
Moore also expressed hope that teammate Jordan De Goey would return from concussion, though his availability remains uncertain. Both captains emphasized the significance of the Anzac Day occasion, with Moore noting, "It feels really nice to be here on Monday when we play in six days. It gives us the whole week to prepare for what is such an enormous occasion ... we're so blessed to be a part of it. To be able to have the whole week to really soak it in and have really rich experiences, like today ... it adds to the layers of meaning for the game."
Essendon's Form Shows Signs of Improvement Despite Injury Setbacks
Despite the injury to Ridley, Essendon's recent performances have shown marked improvement, with the team nearly securing an upset victory over Gold Coast on the road. Captain Andrew McGrath highlighted the team's resilient morale throughout the early stages of the season. "Our form has turned a little bit, but the mood haven't wavered from the very beginning," he explained. "There was obviously a lot of noise around our football club in the first couple of weeks and rightly so — we weren't performing up to our own expectations. But we felt like we were building, regardless of the result ... (now it's) much more how we want to play."
The absence of Jordan Ridley will undoubtedly test Essendon's defensive depth as they face a Collingwood side potentially bolstered by the return of Darcy Moore. The Anzac Day clash, a cornerstone of the AFL calendar, promises high stakes and intense rivalry, with both teams navigating injury challenges ahead of the blockbuster event.
