Saints' Owens latest AFL player hurt in marking contest
St Kilda's Mitch Owens is the third player in the AFL pre-season to be hurt after an opponent pushed him into a marking contest.
Owens' shoulder injury added to a bad afternoon for the Saints, who were outplayed by Port Adelaide on Saturday in their pre-season game at Moorabbin.
Port kept the Saints goal-less in the first quarter and cruised to a 14.9 (93) to 7.7 (49) win.
While the Saints improved after half time they were outplayed and outworked early, giving coach Ross Lyon plenty to ponder ahead of their round-one game on March 16 against the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
Power ruckman Jordon Sweet gave Owens a nudge and the Saints forward then collided with Miles Bergman, a couple of minutes before half-time.
Mitch Owens has been ruled out of the game after this incident.#AFLSaintsPower pic.twitter.com/O1lvmTcLfO
— AFL (@AFL) March 1, 2025
Owens immediately went to the rooms, nursing his left arm.
His injury comes two days after Brisbane premiership defender Brandon Starcevich was concussed in their match against Adelaide, with Crows forward Dan Curtin also pushing him into an opponent.
That rules Starcevich out of the defending premiers' season opener next Thursday night against Geelong at the Gabba.
Likewise, No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor has a fractured jaw and concussion after the Richmond youngster was pushed by West Coast's Reuben Ginbey.
No match review action was taken against Curtin or Ginbey.
"The AFL needs to stamp this out of the game," Fox Footy commentator David King said after Owens' injury.
Fellow Saints forward Cooper Sharman also went off in the third term with a hand injury.
Saints key forward Max King had knee surgery this week and is in doubt for the start of the season, while young gun Mattaes Phillipou is out of action with a leg stress fracture.
Rowan Marshall (pelvis) and Jack Sinclair (hamstring) must prove their fitness for round one.
After kicking three goals in the first half, livewire Port forward Willie Rioli sat out the rest of the game with calf muscle awareness.
Port star Zak Butters had knee surgery this week and is sidelined for at least six weeks.
Kicking with the breeze, Port kicked 6.3 to a behind in the first term.
Joe Richards kicked the opening goal and racked up 10 disposals in the opening term, while Jeremy Finlayson similarly impressed off half-back as Jason Horne-Francis dominated through the midfield.
Finlayson is playing in defence as a stop-gap while Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher recover from injury, but it looked worth persisting with on Saturday.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was a rare highlight for the Saints, who could not find targets in attack and were hammered on turnover.
Newcomer Hugh Boxshall, who is firming for a round-one debut, finally kicked the Saints' only first-half goal at 10 minutes into the second term.
Port captain Connor Rozee amassed 39 possessions, while Horne-Francis (31) was also prolific.
Former Western Bulldogs onballer Jack Macrae had 32 possessions for the Saints, as forward Isaac Keeler pressed for a senior debut with his impressive second half.
Port start their season on March 15 against Collingwood at the MCG.
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