Osborne power forward Hayden Armstrong unlikely to play again this season with Achilles injury

He hasn't played since round 10 and recently re-injured his Achilles while training in Canberra where he works and lives.

Armstrong said he hadn't totally ruled out trying to play in the second-semi final where the Tigers will face grand final nemesis Holbrook in the second week of the finals series.

But he did concede he remained a longshot to play any role in the league heavyweight's finals assault.

"I'm not too sure that I will make it back for the rest of the year at the moment," Armstrong said.

"I had a bit of a hiccup a couple of weeks ago and re-injured my Achilles.

"I think I was too eager to get back and hurt it again when I was at training in Canberra.

"With hindsight, I should have rested it for a couple of more weeks and taken it nice and steady.

"I've still got nearly three weeks until that first final but I'm not confident that will be enough time."

Further compounding the Tigers' woes, fellow key forward George Alexander is also on the sidelines with a fractured leg.

The dual premiership Tiger hasn't played since round 12 after suffering the injury against Howlong.

While Alexander remains confident of returning for finals, the key forward's match fitness remains a huge query.

Alexander has only played five matches so far this season after also missing five matches earlier in the season with an ankle injury.

The Tigers took a gamble with the match fitness of Connor Galvin last year who carried a fractured fibula into the grand final after missing the second semi-final.

The star midfielder played predominantly as a forward and booted two goals in the first half but the Tigers sorely missed his ball winning ability around the stoppages.

In contrast, the Brookers welcomed back their spearhead in Luke Gestier against Henty on the weekend in his first match since round six with a severe hamstring injury.

In a promising sign, Gestier booted seven goals against the Swampies and his form will be crucial during September if the Brookers are to claim back-to-back flags.

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Armstrong, who booted 42 goals from nine matches before the injury, said he is leaving no stone unturned in trying to defy the odds and play in the second semi-final.

"I'm doing everything I can at the moment and haven't given up hope of playing again this season," he said.

"I've been going to the physio, chiropractor, going to the gym, swimming and trying everything I can to get it right.

"But to be honest, I'm only an outside chance of playing again.

"I suppose a lot can happen in three weeks but it has only been eight weeks since I originally suffered the injury.

"It's been eight weeks of constant pain in my Achilles tendon and it's just one of those injuries where it's a slow process to try and get on top of.

"It's frustrating, especially last time I was at Osborne in 2021 we were on top of the ladder when the season was abandoned due to Covid and we didn't get to play finals."

Armstrong boasts an impressive CV as a goalkicker after playing in a hat-trick of flags for Ainslie from 2017-19 and topping the league goalkicking on two occasions.

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