HOPPERS Crossing sustained more than just bruised egos in a 94-point loss to Altona Vikings in the Western Region Football League division 1 at JK Grant Reserve on Saturday.
The toll on the Warriors was wretched, with three potentially season-ending injuries in a game that was over as a contest at half-time.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the game.
Rookie Jackson Viola was the worst of the casualties.
The 16-year-old winger executed a routine tackle, only for his opponent to land awkwardly on his leg.
The impact was nasty with Viola’s leg fracturing below the knee and twisting to the point of tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Viola went in for an MRI scan on Monday morning and the news was not good.
The VCE student could face up to two years on the sidelines.
That’s a significant lay-off for a promising youngster eager to press for a call-up to the Western Jets in the TAC Cup next season after showing he could mix it with the WRFL’s best.
Warriors football manager Shane Buckingham was totally deflated when speaking to the Weekly after hearing the news.
“I feel like crying for the kid to be honest,” he said.
“His surgeon said it was the type of injury seen in a car accident.
“It will put an end to his AFL dream.
“He definitely had bigger fish to fry than the WRFL.
“He had everything going for him.”
Viola is a tall midfielder with a sharp burst of speed.
He is gifted on both sides of the body and tenacious in the tackle.
It is away from the field where he makes a real impression on teammates and club officials.
“Besides all of the talent, he’s one of the nicest kids,” Buckingham said. The injuries did not end there for the Warriors.
The season might also be over for Matthew Smith and Luke Wilson after they suffered broken hands.
The time frame for their return is “indefinite”.
Buckingham says the club will stick with these players through their difficult times.
“One thing Hoppers Crossing Football Club does well is support guys in these situations,” he said.
“It’s not all about putting the guys on the footy field from 2-5pm on a Saturday.”
The Warriors did not want the injuries to take away from Altona’s dominance on the day.
The Vikings were in the groove from the outset, never giving the visitors a sniff.
“They were the better side, just too good really,” Buckingham said.
“On the back of what we’ve seen, I’d say they’re the best team we’ve played.”
Jason Dorazio was best for the Warriors with two goals.
Aaron Ramsay, Murphy Watt and Chris Latella never stopped trying on a tough day.
The usually dangerous forward combination of Kade Carey and Terry Knight went goalless.
The Warriors will need to regroup quickly for the visit of last year’s runners-up Albion to Hogans Road Reserve on Saturday.
