GFNL minor premier St Joseph’s will be without one of its most reliable players for the remainder of the 2025 season after Zac Knights suffered a broken jaw at training last (Monday) night.
Coach Ron Watt confirmed the versatile Knights, who has become a key part of the Joeys’ defence over the past 18 months, will undergo surgery later this week after an accidental collision with a teammate.
“It’s nothing that we would have thought (could happen),” Watt said.
“You could probably understand if somebody twisted an ankle or hurt a knee with some of the drills that we do.
“But, to cop a broken jaw in a non-contract drill is pretty disappointing.”
After four senior matches in Watt’s first season in charge in 2023, Knights became a regular part of the St Joseph’s lineup last year, playing 19 of a possible 20 matches.
He’s made a further 13 appearances this year, with a late-season injury sidelining him for four weeks.
“He just does whatever he’s asked to do, and he’s got a unique skill set,” Watt said.
“He’s tall, but he can play on talls and smalls; he’s very quick; he makes great decisions with the ball, and he’s focused on task.
“And that’s hard to find in a lot of young people now, that they’re really focused on a task if you ask them to do it.
“We will miss having him out there, for sure.”
Knights joins speedster Max McLachlan as the only players Watt won’t be able to consider during the final, which will start in the second semi-final against the winner of this week’s qualifying final between Newtown & Chilwell and Colac.
Watt confirmed that the syndesmosis injury that has sidelined McLachlan since Round 4 has ended his season.
“Unfortunately, he won’t, won’t play with us in the finals, but other than that, we are pretty healthy,” Watt said.
Grovedale recruit Mitch Chafer and the talented Lewis Antonac will both return after missing the final round defeat of Geelong West.
X: @krockfootball
