Essendon’s on-field AFL woes continue, with key position player Jake Carlisle sidelined for up to six weeks because of injury.
Carlisle hurt his right ankle late in last Saturday’s loss to Hawthorn at the MCG.
His leg was caught under Jarryd Roughead when the Hawks’ players tackled him just before the final siren.
“His foot got trapped and he rolled it,” Essendon doctor Bruce Reid told the club website.
“His actual ligaments that you’d normally strain are fine but, unfortunately, he’s separated the front ligaments between the tibia and the fibula – which is called the syndesmosis – so he’s got a tear of the front of that.
“We expect him to miss four to six weeks.”
Carlisle took eight marks and kicked three goals in the loss to Hawthorn.
The Bombers have slumped to 13th with a 4-8 record.