Quartet of AFL Origin stars suffer injuries in WA vs VIC clash

Port Adelaide spearhead Mitch Georgiades and GWS defender Sam Taylor were both struck down by hamstring concerns sustained during their AFL Origin commitments for Western Australia. 

Neither Georgiades nor Taylor returned to the clash against Victoria in the second half, with hamstring awareness understood to be the concern surrounding the pair. 

Georgiades, 24-year-old, managed three marks for a return of eight disposals in the first half of the clash, sharing a forward line with the likes of fellow talls Jesse Hogan, Jake Waterman and Luke Jackson.

The injury, while potentially minor, could see Georgiades ruled out of the Power's final pre-season clash with West Coast on March 1 in Perth. Port Adelaide has a fortnight from that tune-up until their season opener against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.

Port Adelaide is already set to start the new season without Ollie Wines (suspension), Ivan Soldo (knee) and Sam Powell-Pepper (knee), while Jason Horne-Francis (foot) and Tom Cochrane (hamstring) are currently sidelined with no clear return timeframe. 

Georgiades managed his first full season at AFL level last year, playing all 23 games and booting a career-high 58 goals to lead the Power's attacking third. He has managed more than 20 games in a single year on just one other occasion in his six seasons with the Power. 

Taylor had been a key piece of WA's defence, going toe-to-toe with Western Bulldogs ace Sam Darcy, keeping him goalless in the first two quarters. 

GWS will face Sydney for its Community Series clash ahead of an Opening Round meeting with Hawthorn on March 7. The Giants are set to be without Tom Green (knee), Josh Kelly (hip) and Darcy Jones (knee) for most of the coming season. 

Georgaides was the second player of the game to have their night ended abruptly, with Victorian and Carlton defender Jacob Weitering taken to hospital after sustaining rib and shoulder injuries. 

Adelaide recruit Callum Ah Chee became the fourth casualty, with the WA forward having his hamstring iced by the midway mark of the final term.

There could be larger concern for Ah Chee given the immediate medical treatment, potentially placing the ex-Lion's chances of a Round 1 showing in doubt.

Adelaide will face Collingwood at the MCG to open its new season in mid-March following practice games against Port Adelaide and Fremantle in the coming weeks.