Updated at 23.00
THE INJURY WOES continue for Irish players in the 2015 AFL season with Louth’s Ciaran Byrne facing a three-week spell on the sidelines for the Carlton Blues with a hamstring injury.
It’s a ‘devastating’ setback for Byrne after the 20 year-old only made his AFL debut ten days ago for Carlton when he came on in their Round 4 defeat to Essendon.
“Ciaran Byrne strained his hamstring at training last week, which was devastating for him and us, given his parents were over watching him play,” outlined Carlton Head of Football Andrew McKay when speaking to the club’s official website.
But it’s a reasonable hamstring injury, he’ll be out for three weeks, which is as I said, disappointing for both parties.
Byrne will miss Carlton’s Round 5 game against Collingwood on Friday night as will Cork’s Ciaran Sheehan who has yet to feature this season due to a groin injury. Zach Tuohy will continue to fly the Irish flag for Carlton.
The Hanley brothers from Mayo are long-term injury absentees for the Brisbane Lions who take on Gold Coast in Round 5 this Saturday. Cian, a new recruit for the club, is out for the season as he recovers from a torn cruciate while his older brother Pearce has been ruled out after undergoing hip surgery.
Pearce is still in line to return to the ranks by mid June after Brisbane Lions receive a bye in Round 11.
“Pearce is going along really well,” revealed Brisbane Lions Elite Performance Manager Brett Burton.
He’s on target to come back after the bye so he’s back running now and it’s really just about building his progressions now over the next six to eight weeks.
“Then making sure when we get him back, that he stays back and that we protect that hip.”
