Jay Blackberry was condemned to a 12-month rehabilitation program and sideline stint on Wednesday with scans revealing the classy Launceston midfielder has ruptured his right ACL ligament.
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The 26-year-old Tasmanian representitive and 2013 South Launceston premiership player was stretchered off Windsor Park last week in the second quarter of the Northern Tasmanian derby with North Launceston.
And Blues coach Sam Lonergan confirmed the bad news leading into his side’s round 9 date with a North Hobart side on a high this Saturday.
“He got a lot more swelling around the knee during Sunday and by the time our physio examined him on Monday he was a lot more suspicious… and then scans came back confirming that,” Lonergan said.
“With an injury like that it takes a couple of days or weeks to absorb what’s happened and then as soon as Jay is ready there will be whatever role he wants at the footy club.”
Lonergan said Blackberry was irreplaceable but that the situation would allow for another player to stand up and assume a major midfield role.
James Gillow has been ruled out with an ongoing illness, while Rulla Kelly-Mansell and Jack Rushton have been relegated to the emergency list.
Burnie Mariner Tom Munday will play his first match for Launceston as one of four ins along side skipper Chris Savage, key backman Simon Vandervelde and forward Giacomo Millucci.
The Demons are coming off its first win of the year and have stuck with the same 22.
NORTH LAUNCESTON coach Taylor Whitford has made just two adjustments to his high-flying outfit.
Tom Couch, arguably the league’s best player, and utility Jake Pearce have been replaced by youngsters Matt Cossins and Kacey Curtis for the clash with Tigers at UTAS Stadium.
However, Whitford said there could be more omissions. “We’ve got quite a few sore boys from the weekend and we’re unsure as to whether those guys will be right or not,” he said.
“If they’re fit they will play but we’re not going to take any risks… we’ve still got another month to our next bye.
“We’ve got Glenorchy and Clarence in there as well, which are bigger games than the North Hobart one we play in three weeks.”
Tigers have recalled Heath Thompson and Bailey Gordon.
CLARENCE has the bye.
Corey Martin
Having started at The Examiner as a cadet in 2009, I have held various positions telling the stories of Northern Tasmanians in sport and news. I was appointed deputy editor in 2019 and became editor in September 2021.
Having started at The Examiner as a cadet in 2009, I have held various positions telling the stories of Northern Tasmanians in sport and news. I was appointed deputy editor in 2019 and became editor in September 2021.
