A SUSPECTED hamstring injury to Essendon forward Michael Hurley has added to the Bombers' night of woe against St Kilda, but the club remains hopeful scans will reveal only minor damage.
Hurley, 22, was subbed out of the game in the third quarter after receiving treatment to his left hamstring throughout the game.
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Coach James Hird said it wasn't something Hurley had carried into the match and the hamstring became tighter and sorer as the night progressed.
"It compounds a very disappointing night. It's frustrating year for him, he sort of gets going and kicks a few goals and has the hamstring," Hird said.
"We'll go away and scan it Monday and we're hoping it's not [injured] but normally it is when doctors think it is."
Hurley missed three games - including the Bombers' one-point loss to Collingwood on Anzac Day - earlier this season with a hamstring injury to the same leg.
The Bombers face Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium next Saturday, and Hurley's goalkicking will be missed if he fails to get up. He kicked 11 goals across rounds 13 and 14, but managed just one against St Kilda.
Fellow forward Stewart Crameri will also miss next week given he has one week left to serve on his two-match sanction for striking Western Bulldog Dylan Addison.
But Hird remained confident his team would have options, with forward Scott Gumbleton and defender Tayte Pears - who could allow Jake Carlisle to spend more time in attack - to push for selection in the VFL on Sunday.
"Gumbleton is playing [on Sunday]. Scott's now played five in a row, which is good," he said.
"We're keen for him to play well in Ballarat so that will be good, and Jake, who can play up forward, and Tayte Pears playing [on Sunday] as well so there's a bit of room to move there [but] it's not ideal not having Stu and Hurls next week."
Gumbleton, whose injuries have kept him to 22 senior games in five seasons, is on his way back from another bout of back surgery.
Kyle Reimers also failed to finish Saturday night's match after being concussed in a head clash with St Kilda's Tom Simpkin.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.
Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.
