Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) defender Jeremy McGovern flies home with team after hospitalisation

Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) defender Jeremy McGovern flew home with the team after being discharged from hospital with unknown internal injuries on Sunday afternoon. McGovern was taken from the ground with “internal injuries” after he landed on his own arm in a marking contest during the second term of the Eagles’ 66-point loss to Collingwood at Marvel Stadium. The premiership star tried to play out the game but was taken to hospital during the third term and is unlikely to face a red-hot Narrm (Melbourne) at Optus Stadium this weekend. It left Waalitj Marawar with only three players on the bench after speedster Jack Petruccelle was subbed out of the game at quarter time with an ankle injury. McGovern is the second Waalitj Marawar player to be taken to hospital this season after forward Ryan Maric who left Mt Barker in an ambulance with feared broken ribs and a collapsed lung in the loss to Sydney during Gather Round, only to play the next week. Waalitj Marawar coach Adam Simpson said he was unaware of the extent of McGovern’s injuries post-match. “I don’t want to throw things out that I don’t really know,” Simpson said post-game. “I know he was not good enough to come back on and he’s got a knock, so I can’t give you any more.” Meanwhile, the Eagles are likely to be without Petruccelle for at least the short term with a “tiny syndesmosis” injury. “We thought we could get him back but we didn’t want to risk it,” Simpson said. They are hopeful of regaining midfielder Elliot Yeo (groin) and spearhead Jake Waterman (concussion) to take on Narrm, but Simpson said small forward Noah Long was set to miss most if not all of the rest of the season with a knee injury. Veteran forward Jack Darling is sweating on the outcome of the match review officer after a late collision with Collingwood debutant Jack Bytel that left the Magpie concussed. Narmm are reportedly set to be without West Australian-raised forward Jacob Van Rooyen who was concussed late in their loss to Carlton, while Daniel Turner is battling a calf injury.