Melbourne coach Mick Stinear has called for a review into the AFLW’s condensed fixture after losing Paxy Paxman to a recurring foot injury once again.
A match crucial for the Demons’ finals hopes against Richmond on Saturday will be the third time in a row Paxman has been unable to play consecutive games.
The injury flare-up casts a heavy cloud over the rest of the season for the 35-year-old Paxman, who was impressive on the wing in the Demons’ win over St Kilda on Sunday but has been in and out of the side since round 3.
Melbourne faces a difficult call on how to manage the five-time All-Australian while its finals hopes likely hinge on winning all three remaining games due to its low percentage.
“It’s been such a challenging time for Paxy, with her foot, and she’s in a position this week where she’s unlikely to play,” Stinear said on Thursday.
“Just not being able to come up in time – 스포츠토토사이트 every time she plays, it flares up, and that limits her training and limits her availability to play the next game.
“We’ve just got to keep supporting Paxy, and hopefully she can recover and her foot can settle so she can have a consistent back end of the season, but it’s been a bit up and down so far unfortunately.”
Stinear hailed the Demons’ handling of the condensed period as a success after they won three games in 11 days to move back within striking distance of the top eight but suggested he would not like the same scheduling to return.
Most teams had to play four games in a 15 or 16-day period to accommodate the extra game being squeezed into a 10-week home and away season in 2024.