Hollands, who can play forward and in the midfield, played 22 games in his first season with the Blues. The unavailability of McKay and Hollands has stretched Carlton’s questionable depth over the past two games, as Curnow and midfield gun Sam Walsh have been unable to perform at their peaks following injuries in pre-season that impacted on their early fitness.

Injury heartbreak for Bombers recruit

Scott Spits
Essendon are bracing for bad news about mature-aged recruit Tom Edwards, who suffered a suspected ACL knee injury at training on Tuesday.

Edwards made headlines for heading straight into the AFL from his job as a high school teacher, and WAFL footballer, in Perth.

The 24-year-old, 191-centimetre forward was taken by the Bombers in the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP) this year after he booted four goals against the Western Bulldogs in wintry conditions at Whitten Oval.

Edwards went on to make his debut against Adelaide, slotting another three majors. His and the early season debuts of Isaac Kako and Saad El-Hawli have given Bombers fans plenty to smile about as their side continues to rebuild.

Essendon confirmed Edwards injured his knee in a training mishap on Tuesday morning, but wouldn’t be able to confirm a ruptured ACL until they received his scan results.

The Edwards news is the latest bitter blow on the injury front for an Essendon side already missing the likes of Darcy Parish (back), Elijah Tsatas (hand), Peter Wright (ankle) and Kyle Langford (hamstring).

The Bombers have the bye this weekend before they confront the currently winless Melbourne in a vital clash for both teams at the MCG on Saturday week.

‘Comfortable with where Richmond landed on that one’: Dillon on Balta

AAP
The AFL will allow Richmond’s Noah Balta to return to playing before being sentenced for assaulting a man outside a NSW Riverina club.

Balta has pleaded guilty to assault and will be sentenced on April 22 for his attack on 27-year-old Thomas Washbrook outside the Mulwala Water Ski Club.

Balta was suspended for six matches by his club – two of them in the pre-season – in a sanction ratified by the AFL after the incident on December 30 last year.

The suspension expires this weekend, with Balta eligible to return in Richmond’s round-five game against Fremantle on April 13.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the league was “comfortable” in allowing Balta to play before being sentenced in court.

“By the time Noah is eligible to play again he would have served a four-week AFL suspension as well as missing a couple of weeks of practice matches,” Dillon told reporters in Adelaide on Tuesday,

“Ultimately, it will be a decision from Richmond, whether they select him straight into the AFL or into the VFL side.”

Dillon said the AFL wouldn’t step in again before Balta’s sentencing.

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“We have worked with Richmond and we’re comfortable with the suspension and the suspension that Noah has served … we’re comfortable with where Richmond landed on that one,” Dillon said.

Richmond coach Adem Yze signalled after last Saturday’s game that Balta would be an automatic selection when available.

“Oh, no doubt. We’ve handed down that suspension, we feel like that’s the right amount of time, six games is a fair whack,” Yze said.

Balta, 25, pleaded guilty in the Corowa Local Court to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, which in NSW carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail.