Former assistant coach Tim Sheldon became the Eagles’ latest casualty on Saturday when he suffered a knee injury in the final quarter of their five-point loss to his former club Port Fairy.

He had scans yesterday on his right knee but won’t know until later today the extent of the injury.

Sheldon, who broke his neck when playing for Port Fairy in a pre-season game in 2010, said he was hoping for a good outcome.

“It could go either way,” Sheldon said. “I was just starting to find a bit of form and starting to get a few kicks.”

The injury is a cruel blow for Sheldon, who broke his left ankle in the pre-season, forcing him to miss the first five weeks of the season. Saturday’s match was just his second of the season.

His injury came after key defender Adam Wines suffered a badly corked hip, sidelining him for most of the second half. He will be assessed this week.

In further bad news from the medical room, the Eagles revealed star midfielder Dean Gavin was out indefinitely after he was found to have a fracture in his ankle. 

He suffered the injury in the Eagles’ round three loss to Warrnambool at Reid Oval but played the next two games. 

The extent of the damage was only detected last week.

Adding to the Eagles’ woes is that the list already includes assistant coach Brendan Murfett (calf), key defender Darcy Keast (quad), midfielders Nathan Murphy (thumb), and Luke Williams (ankle) plus Dom Barlow (hamstring) and teenager Mitch Bowman (shin splits), who are both yet to play senior games this season.

Murfett, Keast and Murphy are all out for indefinite periods. 

Keast, who hurt his quad in round four, was close to a return until he aggravated the injury during the bye weekend.

Coach Bernard Moloney said the Eagles needed a change in luck. “We are just having a bad run of injuries,” he said.

“It tests your depth and this year we have got a bit of depth. 

“We will just keep pushing players up and giving them experience.”

The third-placed Eagles host bottom side Hamilton Kangaroos (2-5) on Saturday.

Moloney said the Eagles (4-3) needed to find some form and could not afford to drop another game.