FATHER-TO-BE Dan Weymouth is hoping his broken collarbone recovers in time for him to nurse his newborn child.
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The Warrnambool ruckman was injured in the Blues' four-point loss to Hampden league rival Hamilton Kangaroos on Saturday and is awaiting direction from a fracture specialist.
Weymouth, 34, joked the injury might relieve him of nappy duties in the first few weeks.
"I couldn't have timed it worse for a shoulder injury - I've been joking with (wife Maggie) that I won't be able to hold the baby and won't be helping out with changing nappies for the first couple of weeks," he told The Standard.
The veteran footballer said the injury would force him to contemplate his football future.
"I'd love to at least squeeze in a few more games at the end of the year and run around for another season next year but I'll see how this goes," he said.
"I love playing footy and with the Reid having just been done up, it would be disappointing not to get back on it.
"My wife is almost 37 weeks pregnant with our first baby and the priorities definitely change when you have kids and whether that makes the decision a little bit different, I am not sure yet."
Weymouth, who has pledged to help the Blues' cause from the sidelines, said it was a painful injury.
"It is broken into four pieces, so did a pretty good job of it," he said.
"I was resting in the forward line and was leading out from full-forward and the ball got kicked in and was sort of dropping.
"I dived forward to take the mark and turned my body and the bloke behind me and me both landed on my shoulder as it hit the ground.
"Our weight went through it and I could hear a click or a snap noise and as I sat up I put my hand on my shoulder and straight away felt a lump there and thought 'that's not good'.
"I tucked my elbow into my footy jumper and walked off."
The break is the latest setback for the Emmanuel College teacher.
"Last year with the shortened season I was battling through a hip injury and we managed it well," Weymouth said.
"I wasn't training through the week but was able to get up and play on Saturdays with a bit of pain relief.
"I went to Melbourne in September and had a hip operation and I missed the first half of pre-season and felt really good for the second half.
"You put all that hard work in to prepare for a footy season and for a broken collarbone to happen halfway through the second game is annoying, frustrating and disappointing."
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