‘We act on the information’: Blues react to King commentary on McKay injury

Interim Carlton coach Josh Fraser has lauded the way Harry McKay has responded after the key forward’s integrity was called into question.

McKay suffered a minor tear to his meniscus, as well as bone bruising to his knee, during Saturday night’s defeat to Collingwood.

The 28-year-old was ruled out early in the game after his knee knocked into teammate Sam Walsh.

But speculation around McKay ran rampant during the night, Fox Footy commentator David King leading the questioning of the one-time Coleman medallist’s injury.

The Blues were privately seething with McKay’s character being criticised, before the severity of the injury was confirmed on Sunday.

McKay didn’t appear during Carlton’s main training session on Thursday.

Fraser admitted he “didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about” the commentary surrounding McKay.

“Whenever there’s an injury, your mindset goes to the care and support for the player,” he said.

“We act on the information we’re given from our medical team, the commentary around all of that, I probably push it to the side. I can only judge him on the way he’s presented, and he’s presented his usual self. Great energy around the group, trying as hard as he can to play and leading internally around the club.”

Fraser hoped McKay’s injury was on the “lower end”, but meniscus tears, even minor ones, can still be painful and tricky to overcome.

Carlton’s wildcard hopes will go on the line on Saturday when they host out-of-form Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium.

After winning their first seven games when Fraser took charge following Michael Voss’ exit from the club, the Blues have dropped their last two matches to Hawthorn and the Magpies.

But the Suns – premiership favourites early in the season – are on a league-worst eight-game losing streak in a dramatic fall in recent months.

“Their best footy is really good,” Fraser said of Gold Coast. “They’ve got talent across the field. Their ability to open the game up through forward handball and moving the ball, they’re a dangerous side, so we respect that.”

Fraser continues to distance himself from the process to find Carlton’s permanent senior coach, saying “nothing’s changed for me”.

AAP

‘No risk’: Caddy gets the all-clear

Essendon interim coach Dean Solomon has declared Nate Caddy good to go for Saturday’s clash with arch-rivals Hawthorn following a quick recovery from a heart scare.

Caddy was taken to hospital during last week’s three-point win over GWS due to an elevated heart rate.

The 21-year-old was released from hospital after being given the all clear and has received the green light from doctors and medical staff to face the Hawks.

“He’ll be good to go,” Solomon said. “They said there’s no risk with what happened and he’s fully good to go. I trust our medical staff, and Nate’s in a good headspace as well.

“He spent a lot of time with the docs and medical staff, gone through it all and has a good understanding that there’s no risk at play here, and he’s really confident.

“So we’ve just got to trust our medical staff.”

Essendon have lost Xavier Duursma (hamstring) for the rest of the season, while Kyle Langford will miss the Hawthorn match due to suspension.

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