BRIDGEWATER coach Andrew Collins expects to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with the broken collarbone he suffered in last week's Loddon Valley Football League win over Newbridge.
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Collins was injured in the second term of the clash with the Mean Machine's arch-rivals, forcing an all-too-familiar appointment with the surgeon for the 25-year-old, who this week underwent his 10th football-related surgery.
He had two plates and 12 screws inserted into the collarbone, with Collins' injury lay-off not only a blow for Bridgewater, but also the LVFL inter-league squad, which plays the Central Highlands league on May 24.
"It's obviously disappointing to get injured, but I'll stick my teeth into the coaching side of things, which will occupy my mind while I'm not playing," Collins said.
Four-time defending premier Bridgewater is 2-0 after an interrupted start to the season in which it had a 21-day break between its round one win over Bears Lagoon-Serpentine and last week's victory over Newbridge.
"We're a bit short of a run with those three weeks between our first and second games," Collins said.
"We're nowhere near our top form yet, and nor would we want to be this early, but we're building nicely."
Bridgewater hosts Inglewood on Saturday.
• Meanwhile, Calivil United will hold a double premiership reunion on Saturday at its home game against Mitiamo.
The Demons will celebrate both the 1964 grand final win over Bridgewater - which was featured in last week's edition of Footy Focus - and the 2004 premiership victory over Marong.
Calivil United defeated Marong by 66 points in the 2004 grand final, winning 19.12 (126) to 8.12 (60).
The Demons' Ross Maxted won the VCFL Medal for best on ground, while Nick Manley kicked four goals for the premiers in what was the second of Calivil United's six flags in a row.