Sport
18 July, 2026
Who will be back?
NEWBRIDGE faces a tough decision this week on whether to pick captain and key forward Brandon Dimech after his return from injury.
NEWBRIDGE faces a tough decision this week on whether to pick captain and key forward Brandon Dimech after his return from injury.
Dimech played in the reserves last week and got through the match after recovering from a PCL issue, but his medical history has coach Jayden Cordy extremely wary.
“He’s one knee injury away from pulling the pin altogether,” Cordy said, with Dimech having suffered multiple ACL injuries before the most recent issue.
“It’s a big risk to take to play him – there’s always next year and we’re not going anywhere; we’re both committed for next season.”
Making the call even tougher is that Newbridge’s season remains alive after a 41-point win over Calivil, with a crunch game looming against Macorna.
In the end, Cordy said, the decision to play or not would be Dimech’s alone, with the two to discuss the situation at training.
“He knows his body better than anyone,” Cordy said.
The win over the Demons came with a host of players missing, including ruckman Will Copland and star midfielder Andrew Willett.
With the fierce wind blowing and a heavy surface, the Calivil oval wasn’t conducive to high scoring or elite skills.
Kicking with the wind, the Demons were ahead at quarter-time but didn’t use the advantage well, and after the first break they gave up 12 goals to four.
Calivil coach Sam Maher said a six-minute period in the second quarter when Newbridge piled on five goals proved the difference.
Of the first quarter, he said: “We got enough of the ball – we led the clearances 15 to eight – but we couldn’t hit targets inside 50.”
The young Demons had three East Loddon Rams players in the senior side as they blood young talent for the future.
Maher is sidelined with a torn bicep and pectoral muscle and is uncertain whether he will return this year.
Newbridge has a must-win clash with the Tigers at Riverside Park this week, with Calivil travelling to Pyramid Hill.
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