Ocean Grove senior co-captain James Linton has confirmed he will miss the rest of 2019 with a hip injury.
It was a cruel blow for the dual Grubber best-and-fairest winner after he had MRI scans on his hip last week and did not play in the club’s loss to Torquay on Saturday.
“I won’t play again this season,” Linton, 28, told the Voice.
“MRI scans on my hip confirmed this.”
He also missed the club’s 82-point win over Portarlington 25 May and concedes hip troubles had impacted his playing career in previous seasons.
Linton, a Colac GFL premiership player in 2014 and a multiple BFL interleague representative, played the first six games of 2019 and kicked four goals.
“It was always a chance before Portarlington but I had to wait until this week to have my scan,” he said.
“This injury is not just a result of a one game injury against Ammos (in Round 6) it has also been happening over a couple of years now.”
Ocean Grove’s long-term injury list has grown with key players including Grubber playing coach Jordan Jones (knee), recruited as an one-point player, and Kieran McNally (shoulder) out for remainder of season.
Jones said Linton’s injury was unfortunate, though it will open the door for the club to develop their young talent.
Talented on-baller Ryan Lempa, a mid-season recruit from Centrals Trinity Beach at AFL Cairns, made a sparkling Grubber BFL senior debut against Portarlington in Round 7 with Linton out.
“It’s unfortunate but not the end of the world,” Jones said.
“It creates an opportunity for someone else to step and develop and play senior footy.”
