Young star's career hangs in the balance after heartbreaking injury setback

Young Star's Career Endangered by Injury

Newcastle Jets coach Mark Milligan faces the likelihood of losing teenager Oscar Fryer for the rest of the A-League season due to a severe knee injury. Fryer is expected to have ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during the Jets' 4-1 loss to Sydney FC at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night.

"There are a few things to go through, but it doesn't look great,"
Milligan said. "You don't want to see that happen to anybody, especially Ossie, who has had such a tough run already. Fingers crossed it is not as serious as we first thought."

Injury Challenges Facing the Jets

The Jets are also missing key players due to injuries. Japanese star Kota Mizunuma has been sidelined with long-term hamstring problems, missing the first three games and only now starting light training. Leading scorer Eli Adams remains weeks away from returning.

Regulatory Frustrations Over Injury Replacements

Milligan expressed frustration about the A-League's injury replacement rules, which only permit clubs to sign replacements if the injured player’s salary exceeds $300,000 per season.

"We have had the same issue with Kota. When we have serious injuries in the club, we are unable to replace them because we don't meet the threshold money-wise, which I think is absolutely ridiculous."

He emphasized that the rule restricts clubs like the Jets who do not have high-paid players.

Summary

The Jets struggle with a string of injuries and face uncompromising league rules that hinder their ability to bring in replacements, putting their squad depth under significant strain.

Author's Conclusion

Oscar Fryer's serious injury amid restrictive regulations highlights the challenges smaller clubs face managing squad depth in the A-League.

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Hunter Valley News Hunter Valley News — 2025-11-03

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