Yarrawonga’s boom midfielder Mark Whiley is set to miss the rest of the year.
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The Morris Medal runner-up broke his hand against Lavington on June 3, but it wasn’t considered a major issue as he’d already scheduled a month-long overseas trip.
The Pigeons thought the former AFL player would return late this month, but he received bad news last week.
“He went to the surgeon on Thursday and it’s not as positive as we’d like,” coach Damian Sexton said.
“The surgeon looked at it and basically said, ‘you’re a five per cent chance’.”
Sexton was quizzed if that meant Whiley wouldn’t play again this season.
“No, he won’t, at the moment, he won’t play,” he said.
It’s not as positive as we’d like. The surgeon looked at it and basically said, ‘you’re a five per cent chance’.
- Damian Sexton
The news has rocked the club as it looks well placed to launch a genuine premiership bid from the elimination final.
The Pigeons are fourth with four rounds left and they would need to win every game, and hope either Wodonga Raiders or Wangaratta suffer a shock loss to a team outside the top five, to sneak into the top three.
There’s just under six weeks to the elimination final, which will almost certainly be against perennial finalists, Lavington.
The Panthers could, realistically, make finals without beating any team in the top five.
Lavington’s last hopes will be against Yarrawonga (August 18) and Albury the following week.
Yarrawonga’s record – without Whiley – is four wins and two losses, with the victory over Wangaratta announcing its arrival.