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North star remains in hospital

July 17, 2024 12:25 pm in by
North Geelong midfielder Jacsen Jewell remains in hospital following an incident in Saturday's loss to Anakie. (Marcel Berens/Sports Media)

North Geelong midfielder Jacsen Jewell remains in hospital following an incident in Saturday’s loss to Anakie at Anakie Reserve.

The reigning Magpies’ best-and-fairest suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs after being collected by the knee of Roo Eliot Birch in an accidental collision while going back with the flight of the ball.

“Unfortunately, Jaco’s not in a good way,” Magpies assistant coach Keegan Carr told GDFNL media on Tuesday night.

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“His lung hasn’t quite inflated to what they’d like. So, they’re still weighing up whether he needs to have surgery or not.

“Our thoughts are with him. It was a shocking incident to him.”

Jewell is in his second season at Keith Barclay Oval after crossing from GFNL club Lara.

He’s played every game with North Geelong since arriving at the club, kicking 16 goals.

“He’s going to be a huge loss,” Carr said. “He’s, obviously. one of our best players; he’s one of the best mids in the league as well.

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“Hopefully, he avoids surgery. But, it’s going to be a bit of a long recovery.”

Jewell’s injury has taken some of the shine off the news that coach Peter Riccardi and a host of star players have re-signed for the 2025 season.

Despite the loss to Anakie, North Geelong remains an outside chance of playing finals for the first time since 2018.

The Magpies’ six wins are a marked improvement on their lone victory in 2023, which came in the season’s final round.

2024 recruits Patrick Cleary, Rory Desnoy, Harry Cornelius, Cooper Pasque, Cooper Vaughan, Noah Bily, Noah Penny, Charlie McDonald, and Jaxon Mallett are among the 14 players confirmed as remaining at the club next year.

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If North Geelong can defeat Winchelsa on Saturday, and Inverleigh loses to East Geelong, it would be one game outside the top five, with fifth-placed Thomson and fourth-placed Bannckburn doing battle at Godfrey Street.

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