Saint Nick Riewoldt to have scans

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt will undergo scans on Saturday, with the AFL club concerned their skipper may have suffered a fresh calf injury.

Riewoldt was named in the Saints’ side for Friday night’s clash with Collingwood.

The champion forward entered the MCG with every expectation he would play, despite a sore calf that prevented him from doing much work on the track during the past week.

The 32-year-old was named on the final team sheet, but a setback during the warm-up meant he couldn’t take part.

Saints coach Alan Richardson revealed it may be something more serious than a minor niggle.

“There is (a chance he re-injured it),” Richardson said after his side’s 74-point loss to the Magpies.

“It might even be something different. It’s a bit lower in the calf.

“He’ll have scans.

“If they’re clear he’ll be a chance to play, but he’s no certainty to play next week.”

The Saints next face Carlton in Wellington, with the trans-Tasman trip hurting Riewoldt’s hopes of returning.

“It’s not ideal. He’d have to be reasonably right, relatively early in the week (to play),” Richardson said.

“It’s unlikely we’d chuck him on a plane if he’s 50-50 at best.

“We wouldn’t be doing the team any favours, we might have seen that tonight.”

The club is hopeful Jack Lonie, who was substituted off at three-quarter time, avoided a serious knee injury.

“He might be ok. He too will get assessed,” Richardson said.

No.1 draft pick Paddy McCartin made an underwhelming debut in place of Riewoldt, snaring three marks and failing to score.

Richardson admitted the key forward wasn’t quite ready for the top level.

“He struggled. It’s an awkward way to prepare … when you get told an hour before we play that you’re going to play your first game of footy,” he said.

“But he’s a competitive kid .. he got going.

“In an ideal world he wouldn’t have played. He’s probably not quite ready, but we thought his last quarter was reasonably positive.”

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