Essendon’s injury crisis has worsened after both Dylan Shiel and Jake Stringer suffered hamstring injuries in the Bombers’ 23-point loss against Richmond on Saturday night.
Stringer hurt his hamstring in the second term and sat out the rest of the game while Shiel was sidelined for the final quarter with the same injury.
The double hamstring blow comes after Joe Daniher and Devon Smith were ruled out for the rest of the season with season-ending injuries.
Star forward Orazio Fantasia is also unlikely to return until after the bye because of a quad strain.
Speaking after the Bombers’ Dreamtime at the ‘G loss, Essendon coach John Worsfold was unsure how long Shiel and Stringer would be sidelined for.
"We think they have both got hamstrings," Worsfold said.
"To what extent is hard to say. They don't seem to be too bad but I am no expert."
The Bombers face traditional rivals Carlton on Sunday afternoon at the MCG, which could test Worsfold’s wounded men.
Dylan Shiel has now headed to the rooms following this earlier incident. #AFLTigersDons pic.twitter.com/5R4rO1fGta
— AFL (@AFL) May 25, 2019