ST KILDA is closing in on a first finals berth in its AFLW history but may have to get there without several key players after being struck down with more injuries during the win over Carlton.
It was the curse of the ankles on Saturday night – with youngster J'Noemi Anderson helped from the field after kicking a goal in the third quarter before returning later in the game, Bec Ott ruled out late, and Georgia Patrikios also not returning after a similar issue.
BLUES v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats
In the same passage of play as Patrikios' injury, Nicola Xenos also left the field in the hands of trainers with a knee concern.
While not having a full medical report yet, coach Nick Dal Santo noted post-match that the Saints will assess and "make calculated decisions in the coming weeks" after their sixth win in a row but hoped that it wasn't "as bad as what it may have looked when a handful of girls got brought off".
"I've said this far too often in the last month or so that, you know, we have our fingers crossed," Dal Santo said.
"I think we're up to seven broken bones this year. So when I sit down with the medical team a couple of times a week and look at them and say ‘Can we explain some of this?' A lot of them is just unfortunate football injuries.
"I mean, we had three syndesmosis and broken legs in a three- or four-week period … The game is brutal, and it's clearly based on contests and we've just been really unfortunate in those spaces."
There were seven active players on St Kilda's current injury list before Saturday night's match, including season-ending leg injuries to Bianca Jakobsson, Molly McDonald and Ash Richards.
Dal Santo noted that the side should "get some players coming back next week".
Jaimee Lambert has been managing a calf issue and is currently listed at 1-2 weeks, while Charlotte Simpson is in concussion protocols after a brutal collision in last week's win over Collingwood.
Meanwhile, Carlton coach Matthew Buck said captain Abbie McKay would be assessed following a corked quad which was treated at quarter-time. McKay ran out the match and finished up with 21 touches, four tackles and four clearances.
Buck also noted that star recruit Tara Bohanna is also progressing well from a foot injury and could be a test to play next week against Greater Western Sydney.
The loss has the Blues teetering on the edge of the top eight with two rounds to go, after a strong and competitive season so far.
