Joe Daniher set to miss up to five weeks after sustaining calf strain in training
Essendon's premiership hopes have taken a major hit with the news that star forward Joe Daniher has suffered a calf strain.
Daniher, who was scheduled to play modified minutes due to his recovery from osteitis pubis, received a kick to the calf in a training drill.
According to a club release, the tear is significant and could see the 25-year-old miss between four to five weeks.
The news was confirmed in a statement by Bombers GM of Football Dan Richardson.
2017 All-Australian Joe Daniher will make his first appearance since being sidelined with osteitis pubis last May AAP
"Joe was progressing strongly in his recovery from an unrelated injury, so this soft-tissue setback is clearly disappointing for both him and the club," Essendon GM of Football Dan Richardson said in a club statement.
"Joe remains positive and is committed towards his rehabilitation program as he works towards a return to the senior side early in the upcoming home-and-away season.
"While disappointing, this injury provides an opportunity for another forward to step up in Joe's absence and as a team, we remain focused on our preparation for next week's season opener against Greater Western Sydney."
The Bombers are already without star defender Cale Hooker who sustained a calf injury of his own AAP
The news is a major setback for the Bombers after losing star defender Cale Hooker to a calf injury earlier in the pre-season.
Essendon will now start their season opener against the GWS Giants without its key position players at either end of the ground.
In Daniher's absence, the responsibility of leading Essendon's attack will now fall on the shoulders of the brilliant but inconsistent Jake Stringer.
In his first season in the red and black after being acquired from the Western Bulldogs, Stringer was the club's leading goal-kicker in 2019 with 30 goals ahead of Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (26), Mark Baguley (20) and Orazio Fantasia (20).
