Geelong Amateur’s worst fears have been realised, with scans confirming a knee injury suffered by Spiro Alesios is a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
The key defender suffered the injury during the Pegs’ one-point loss to Newcomb at Plastercom Oval on Saturday, only a week after being sidelined with an issue with his other knee.
“I got a good line of sight of it,” Ammos co-coach Riley Kershaw said.
“Their bloke has kicked inside 50, and it was sort of just slightly out of their line, and their full forward detoured slightly, and that change of direction got Spiro.”
In his fifth season at KFC Oval, Alesis has been tasked with the job of minding the opposition’s spearhead for the majority of his 68 matches.
“Spiro’s been a pretty good player for us in the last three or four years,” Kershaw said.
“He’s a mainstay back there, and it’s a pretty big hole to fill.
“But what good footy clubs do, they’ve got to test their depth and see where it lands.”
That depth will be further tested in the coming weeks, with veteran big Hamsih Shepheard (adductor) unlikely to be seen until the second half of the year and key forward Hugh Goddard entering the concussion protocol.
It’s hoped the former St Kilda and Carlton player will be right to go after Geelong Amateur’s bye in Round 8 when it travels to Anglesea for a meeting with last year’s grand final conqueror.
Alesios, Shepheard and Goddard join Jacob Sharp (fractured scaphoid), Patrick Ryan (navicular), Brydon Barnett (hamstring), Jack Pickering (hamstring), and Holbrook recruit Jock Triggs (back) in the Queens Park medical room.
It is hoped that midfielder Archer Hanegraaf, who has been sidelined since Good Friday with a calf injury, will return for the home meeting with Ocean Grove on Saturday.
Defender Daniel Grose is getting close to his first senior appearance of the season after making his return from off-season ankle surgery via the reserves.
While former co-captain Liam Cogan is a chance to play in the seconds against the Grubbers, having not featured at any level in 2026.
The lengthy injury list has opened the door for Ammos juniors Daniel Heygesi, Cooper Jerenic and Harley Anderson to make their debut.
Anderson received his call-up on Saturday morning when James Hickey was a late withdrawal.
“These guys are probably playing a little bit earlier than they probably anticipated during the pre-season,” Kershaw said.
“But they’re taking it in their stride, and they’re going really well.
“Heygesi and Anderson, in the last quarter on the weekend, were really good.”
X: @krockfootball
