AFL careers struck down by injury

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AFL Injuries

Jack Trengove (Melbourne)

Injury: Core issues, foot stress fracture, navicular bone fracture

A number two draft pick, Trengove was touted as a star of the game but after being made captain of the Demons at 20 years old in 2012, the midfielder's career has been dogged by injury. It was reported in December 2012 that Trengove had a stress fracture in his foot. After averaging around 20 disposals a game in his first two seasons, Trengove's output dropped to under 18 possessions a game in 2012 and 2013 sparking whispers of a core injury problem.

Two games into the 2014 season, Trengove was sidelined for the entire season with a navicular bone fracture. Trengove was expected to be traded to Richmond for a fresh start in 2015 but was struck down by a recurrence of the navicular injury - the same issue that cut short Geelong defender Matthew Egan's career.


Jack Trengove is at serious risk of not fulfiling his potential if injuries persist (Pic: Getty Images)


Matthew Egan (Geelong)

Injury: Navicular bone fracture

After claiming Geelong's best first-year player in 2005, Egan developed into one of the competition's best and most rugged defenders. His 2007 season was dominant as he shut down Nick Riewoldt, Jonathan Brown and Matthew Pavlich on his way to All-Australian selection at 24 years of age.

In the last round of 2007, Egan fractured his navicular in a marking contest with Brown - an injury that would keep him out of the finals series and Geelong's premiership victory over Port Adelaide.

Geelong stuck by Egan during the rehabilitation process but he never recovered and retired at the end of the 2009 season.


Jesse Smith (North Melbourne/St.Kilda)

Injury: Ankle, Hamstring

Smith was crowned the best player of the Under 18 championships in 2004 and was drafted to North Melbourne through the father-son rule at the end of that year. A defender like his father Ross, Smith played six promising games in his 2005 debut season before an ankle injury cruelled most his 2006 campaign.

The 191cm half-back enjoyed a stellar 2007 that saw him average 17.4 disposals with a brilliant 27 possession game in North's semi-final win over Hawthorn.

But the chronic ankle issues caught up with Smith as he suffered repeated hamstring problems because of the issues with his core.
Smith managed two games in 2008 but was delisted by the Kangaroos and after a season trying to get his body right at St. Kilda, was forced to give the game away.


A brilliant 2007 season showcased how good Jesse Smith could have been if his body was right (Pic: Getty Images)


Luke Ball (St.Kilda/Collingwood)

Injury: Osteitis pubis, core issues

While Ball won a premiership with Collingwood and a best-and-fairest with St. Kilda, he was never able to reach the illustrious heights of fellow 2001 draftees Chris Judd and Luke Hodge.

Ball was one of the quickest players at the 2001 draft combine and came into the competition being able to kick the football 50-55m. After it seemed Ball was building into becoming one of the top 10 players in the competition, he started spending more time on the bench as it became clear his body was not right. In addition to lacking the early pace he has in his career, Ball's kicking distance was reduced to 40m by the core issues.

After being unwanted at St.Kilda, Ball moved to Collingwood at the start of the 2010 season and won a premiership against his old club at the conclusion of that campaign. He played four more seasons for Collingwood, retiring at the end of 2014 at the age of 30.

Judd claimed two Brownlow's in his distinguished career while Hodge is a two-time Norm Smith Medallist. We will never know what a fit Luke Ball was capable of.


Other players struck down by injury: Anthony Morabito (Fremantle), Scott Gumbleton (Essendon/Fremantle), Sean Rusling (Collingwood), Max Bailey (Hawthorn), Justin Longmuir (Fremantle), Clem Michael (Fremantle), Luke Molan (Melbourne), David Schwarz (Melbourne), Ryan Fitzgerald (Sydney/Adelaide), Luke Penny (Bulldogs/St.Kilda)

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Author(s)
Kieran Francis Photo

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at Sporting News Australia.