CARLTON coach David Teague has attempted to ease concerns over Patrick Cripps’ fitness, denying the Blues co-captain has a fractured back.
The Age reported on Thursday that the star midfielder has been playing with a fracture in his back that has needed weekly injections.
Cripps has been below his best for most of 2021 but has played in all eight matches for the Blues.
“He’s fine. He’s doing all the training, you watch training today he’ll compete in everything,” Teague said.
“He doesn’t have a fractured back.
“He had a sore back at the start of the year but not now, everything healed now, he’s fine.”
When asked if Cripps ever had a fractured back this year, Teague responded: “He had a sore back, I’m not sure what the actual findings were.”
Teague said the Blues had given no thought to resting Cripps, who is out of contract at year’s end.
“I think he’s been completing full training since round two or three so it’s not an issue now,” Teague said.
“You talk about it if you want, but it’s in the past.
“I know he had a sore back, we managed that from a management point of view, but he’s fine now.
“The story right now should be is Crippa right to play?
“Yes, he is, so that’s exciting for us and our fans.”
(C) AAP 2021
