Dockers signing hit by bad news before week one.
The Fremantle Dockers have been dealt bad news before the start of the AFL season with Scott Gumbleton set to miss up to half of the year due to a hamstring tear.
The goalkicker suffered the severe injury against the Western Bulldogs on Wednesday night, with the injury souring the Dockers pre-season victory.
Gumbleton’s latest injury continues what has been an unhappy period in his career with the 25-year-old playing just 35 games in seven seasons.
In a year he was expected to play an off-sider role to key forward Matthew Pavlich, the Dockers will now need to scramble ahead of a season where they are expected to be in the top three teams for the flag.
Fremantle medical staff initially thought Gumbleton has suffered only a standard strain which would have ruled him out for three weeks at the most.
However, scans returned the worst possible news after he managed to play just 22 minutes against the Bulldogs this week.
It’s very frustrating for Scott given the preparation he has had,” Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said.
“At this stage we expect that he will miss the next 12 weeks.”
Dockers coach Ross Lyon said after the 28-point NAB Challenge win against the Dogs he felt for Gumbleton.
“He needs to be resilient from here and keep going and not drop his bundle.”
The Dockers open the AFL season in less than two weeks when they travel to Etihad Stadium to face Collingwood.
They will also be without Jon Griffin and Keplar Bradley, who are returning from knee reconstructions, with Zac Clarke an outside chance to return from a knee injury he suffered at Lorne’s New Year’s Eve Falls music festival.
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