Garry Lyon has posed a solution for Melbourne’s forward line injury woes.
Recruit Ben Brown was last week sent for surgery after experiencing swelling in his left knee, and yesterday it was reported Sam Weideman will miss three months with a stress fracture in his right leg.
“Would you get Paddy McCartin to come and train for the next six weeks?” Lyon asked Tim Watson on SEN Breakfast.
“They’re going to have to get some backup aren’t they? Tom McDonald might now have to play more key forward than they were thinking."
Taken with the first selection in the national draft by St Kilda in 2014, McCartin played 35 games for the Saints before he took a break from football, dealing with symptoms from eight separate concussions.
Melbourne have the opportunity to sign McCartin at any time until the pre-season supplementary selection period concludes in mid March.
“He’s training with Sydney, he’s fit, he’s been given the all clear,” Lyon continued.
“I’ve never seen him look as good as he’s looked, but that’s without playing footy.
“Is it worth a little hail mary, to say ‘Paddy boy, come and have a run?’”
Watson agreed the Dees need to explore their options.
“Who knows him better than (Dees assistant) Alan Richardson who coached him at St Kilda?” he posited.
“They need to pick up the phone and just have a conversation.”