Another shattering ACL injury to a young Magpie.
Plus, Ross Lyon didn’t hide his feelings about the media, and Alastair Clarkson gave his own whack in support of Carlton regarding the Elijah Hollands saga. MORE IN AFL DAILY.
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PIES YOUNGSTER SUFFERS SECOND ACL INJURY
Collingwood defender Reef McInnes has suffered another ACL injury in a shattering blow.
McInnes, who’s 2025 season was ruined by an ACL injury to his right knee, sustained the same setback to his opposite knee during Friday’s VFL game against Essendon.
Still ramping up to full fitness in the twos, the 23-year old suffered the injury the first quarter and didn’t return to the contest, with scans confirming the worst possible news.
NCA. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIAÃ April 24th, 2026Ã VFL Round 7. Collingwood vs Essendon at Olympic Park. Reef McIness of the Magpies heads to the bench with trainers during the 1st qtr. . Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
“Reef’s injury is incredibly disappointing news, particularly given the commitment and hard work he has put in over the past 12 months to return from his right ACL,” Collingwood footy boss Charlie Gardiner said.
“He’s an outstanding character and has shown enormous resilience and positivity to get back to playing. While this is undoubtedly a difficult setback, our entire program will be behind Reef every step of the way during his recovery.”
LYON: ‘I HAVE NO RELATIOSHIP WITH MEDIA’
Ross Lyon says “I have no relationship with the media” after last week’s icy press conference added another spicy chapter between the Saints coach and reporters.
Lyon’s frosty comments after his side’s one-point loss to Adelaide came under scrutiny in an intriguing back-and-forth.
The St Kilda boss argued the 2-4 club had improved “if you take out win-loss” and clapped back with series of questions some thought came across condescending in an address that Saints president Andrew Bassat defended.
Ross Lyon didn’t hide his feelings about the media.Source: FOX SPORTS
Asked about his “press conference etiquette” on Friday when speaking publicly for the first time this week, Lyon said it’s not something he puts stock in.
“I don’t assess my relationship, I have no relationship with the media,” Lyon told reporters.
“I represent the club, and I roll up to the press conferences as they’re scheduled and probably aim to answer concisely.”
The Saints host West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
CLARKO WHACKS BLUES ‘PILE-ON’ OVER HOLLANDS SAGA
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson believes footy media’s “pile-on” of Carlton throughout the Elijah Hollands saga has been
“unbelievable” and only “adds to the trauma”.
It comes after Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury said he “didn’t pick up anything” relating to Hollands’ behaviour last Thursday night on the MCG.
On Thursday, the Blues confirmed they had submitted their investigation into Hollands’ mental health episode to the AFL, which will now examine the findings before ruling on any potential sanction.
Asked about handling delicate situations such as Hollands’, Clarkson stated on Friday morning that the footy public’s “pile-on” of Carlton had “disappointed” him.
His comments on SEN Breakfast came after Blues coach Michael Voss launched an impassioned and emotional defence of his club on Wednesday, claiming Blues staffers had been “bullied” during “ball-by-ball” commentary on the fallout to Hollands’ mental health episode.
“The number-one thing that came out in Vossy’s press conference yesterday was that the number-one thing is around the care of the player,” Clarkson began on SEN.
“We haven’t seen it in the game, and so now we’re all being critical — ‘you should have been able to see that’ — well, maybe, but sometimes things just shoot past the keeper that you can’t explain.
“I don’t know the details of it, all I sit and observe is that here’s a poor kid who’s had something go wrong with him, and we don’t know what the reason is for that.”
Clarkson said he was especially moved by Ben Hollands’ heartfelt post to social media midweek, in which Elijah’s father said he would “lift (Elijah) up until he is restored in full”.
“The message by his father — of all the stuff that has come out of that, that is the most impressive for mine; that beautiful message that was sent by Ben,” Clarkson said.
“What a beautiful message. All the commentary around it and that sort of stuff, and you just cut through to what was the most important thing, and that was returning his son to full health.”
The veteran mentor said he “can’t believe” the backlash towards the Blues, declaring: “There is no way that club, or any club, is not trying to do the very best by their player, and I think we need to just take a step back and let things unfold a little bit.”
Probed on whether the questioning around trying to get to the bottom of the situation had been fair, Clarkson said: “Yeah, I think they’re fair questions to ask, but the problem is that there’s a thousand of you all trying to ask the same question, and it just becomes an unbelievable pile-on.
“And 999 of them have been a pile-on (of the) Carlton footy club, and I just don’t think there’s a balance there.
Beveridge gives Naughton injury update | 14:45
“You have got the illness of a player, and they’re trying to deal with that, first and foremost. And to be fair, they’re not giving a rat’s arse about the 999 that are having a crack at them, because all they’re caring about is getting the health of the player back in check again.
“They’ve got to deal with the other stuff, but it needs to be done, because no one likes to see it. So, some sort of investigation needs to be done, and Carlton would be the first club that’s sitting there saying ‘we need to work out how the hell did that happen?’ Because it was obvious that he wasn’t well.
“But for that to become a pile-on … come on, you guys. Some of the people who are making these comments in the press are guys who have made those sorts of errors in their lives or in their footy careers.
“And they just need to step back and understand that, hey, sometimes it’s pretty murky … I’m just concerned with the pile-on that just adds to the trauma for both the club and the player, trying to deal with a very, very, very difficult situation that they’re facing.”
Curnow kicks 7 in convincing Swans win | 03:49
Meanwhile, on Triple M on Thursday night, Pendlebury said he’d spoken to Hollands post-match and actually complimented the Blue’s level of communication and feedback to his teammates.
“After the game, I briefly spoke to him. On the ground, I don’t know about kicks, marks and handballs,” Pendlebury said on Thursday.
“On the ground, he was really instructional to his teammates about where to run, where to move. I said to him you are really good out there with instructing your teammates.
“I didn’t pick up anything after the game.
“The role he plays at Carlton, we cross paths in the role that I do. He’s sort of up and down the middle, similar to me. I could just hear him directing players on the field. ‘Got to move there. Come back here. Go that way.’
“We’ve played Carlton before, so I know what his role is, and I didn’t pick up anything, because he was in the same spots.
“I couldn’t tell you if he didn’t have one kick, but I could hear him on the field quite regularly because it’s what he’s always done.”