Essendon pair Harrison Jones and Jordan Ridley both face periods on the sidelines after suffering injuries in the match against North Melbourne.

Jones suffered a dislocated ankle late in the third quarter. during a marking contest with North Melbourne’s Dylan Stephens. Jones was visibly in significant pain and was stretchered off the ground at three quarter time.

He was taken to hospital for further assessment and treatment last night. Scans today have confirmed a minor fracture in the base of his foot, but thankfully he does not require surgery.

Defender Jordan Ridley suffered a high-grade hamstring strain in the second quarter and was subbed out of the game before half-time. While scans today confirmed the injury, which will sideline him for several weeks, he has also avoided the need for surgery.

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Rd 8 | Luckless Bomber subbed after hamstring injury

Essendon loses Jordan Ridley right before the main break as the injury-riddled defender appears to hurt his hamstring while being tackled

General Manager of AFL, Dan McPherson, described both injuries as a blow after the side’s 4-3 start to the season.

“While it's undoubtedly disappointing for both players, we recognise both players' tremendous resilience and dedication to their rehabilitation that will give them every chance to return to their best quickly,” McPherson said.

“Jones' consistent presence in the team - playing 21 games last season and all seven this year - is a testament to his hard work since his 2023 season ended early. This is a setback, but we have full confidence in his resilience and his upbeat personality to tackle this head on.

"Jordan is a key player for us, and to lose him for a period is tough. He's an important part of our backline and it's a significant loss, but we have confidence in our defensive group to step up in his absence. We look forward to having him back on the field as soon as possible.”

Small forward Jade Gresham suffered a low-grade adductor strain in the last quarter and was unable to return to the field. He will miss the upcoming match against Sydney on Saturday after scans this morning confirmed the strain.

The club will provide updates on all three players' condition as more information becomes available in the coming days.