MORRIS Medal smokey Brad Murray is hopeful of returning from injury before the end of the season.
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The Myrtleford co-coach and 2005 medal winner damaged his AC joint in Saturday’s disastrous 77-point home loss to the Wangaratta Rovers, taking no further part in the game after the second-quarter incident.
Murray will also have scans on his collarbone, but the 33-year-old midfielder remains optimistic of returning after the split round.
“I’d like to think it’s not season over, I’m pretty keen to get back,” Murray said.
“Hopefully I’ll be back in a couple of weeks after the bye and play the last four games.”
Murray has previously had a reconstruction on his left shoulder, but club physios believe his new injury is not related.
The inspirational Saint collided with Rovers youngster Brydon Robins late in the second quarter on Saturday.
While the match was virtually over - the Rovers led by 38 points at halftime - Murray’s injury wrecked any chance the Alpine Saints had of an unlikely comeback.
“From all reports it was a pretty big hit, but I don’t remember much,” he said.
Myrtleford will be hoping they don’t remember too much about the game, either.
The club’s 11th loss of the season was arguably its worst, and anchored it to the bottom of the ladder with five games remaining.
Murray, who recently signed on as co-coach with Leigh Corcoran for next season, conceded the club had plenty of work to do.
“When the game’s in the balance, we don’t seem to have guys that are taking the game on,” Murray said.
“We need a bit of belief, it’s all between the ears.”
It doesn’t get any easier for Myrtleford this weekend, when it travels to Yarrawonga.
Veteran forward Jarrod Hayse is currently in Canada fighting bushfires, but Myrtleford is hopeful he will return before the end of the season.
Defenders Hamish Leahy and Luke Chapman, and ruckman Matt Dussin, will come back into the line-up in the coming weeks.
For Yarrawonga, star forward Brendan Fevola is hopeful of returning early next month, but ruckman Steve McKee is much closer.
McKee featured in Yarrawonga’s best in its reserves win over Corowa-Rutherglen on Sunday.
