McVeigh Report Worries Knights

Essendon coach Matthew Knights has admitted he's worried about star midfielder Mark McVeigh's availability in the next few weeks after being reported in Friday's win over Melbourne.

McVeigh, a $321k midfielder, was reported in the third term of the Demons clash after striking Melbourne's Jared Rivers.

Knights said after the game, “We’d love to have him available for Carlton and Collingwood [in the next two weeks] … so it would be disappointing if he was rubbed out.

“I must admit I’d just come down from the box just before the break and I saw the scuffle break out.

“I was just preferring that our boys kept themselves out of trouble [but] that wasn’t the case.

“I haven’t seen the incident live yet, so I’ll have a look at that when I go home tonight. I’ve just got to see how it looks.”

McVeigh, a star man at Windy Hill, has only just returned to the AFL after a long layoff with injury. His slow recovery from injury has meant his DT value is sliding into a good price but this latest suspension setback may put off potential suitors.