Essendon youngster Jayden Laverde has been hit by another injury blow on the eve of the season, with the exciting forward to be sidelined for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring strain.
The 21-year-old, who is entering his fourth season at the club
Laverde suffered a serious ankle injury in last year's JLT Community Series that saw him out of action for the first half of the season, and the previous year broke his collarbone in the early rounds of the home and away campaign.
The club's high-performance manager Justin Crowe said Laverde's start
"Jayden was in the game and feeling tight in his hamstring. We got that scanned and had some really bad news there," he told the club's website.
"He's got a strain in that tendon which is an eight-to-10 week rehabilitation, so bad news for Jayden but he'll be back doing his rehab and working towards the season as soon as he can."
Laverde has played 21 games in his three seasons at the Bombers and was hopeful of consolidating a spot in Essendon's midfield this year.
In better news for the club, key defender Michael Hurley may be available to play in Essendon's JLT Community Series clash after being cleared of a wrist fracture.
The dual All Australian left the field early in the Bombers' intraclub after being accidentally kicked to the same wrist he had surgery on over the pre-season.
But scans have shown no crack, and Hurley is still in contention to face the Tigers on February 24 in the club's first full pre-season clash.
"It was very sore at the time and that pain has been settling. He got a CT scan today just to clear there wasn't any fracture in there and thankfully there isn't. We're expecting that wrist to settle over the next week or so," Crowe said.
"Good news, but obviously with the history of the surgery it might take a little bit to settle down."
