West Coast small forward Jacob Newton’s season in doubt as Eagles reveal foot fracture

West Coast’s bright start to the season has been dimmed by a major injury concern, with Jacob Newton’s season in doubt after picking up a foot fracture.

The 19-year-old was sent for scans following the Eagles’ two-point win over Port Adelaide on Sunday and is now expected to spend significant time on the sidelines.

The Eagles do not have a return date but admit it will not be a quick fix.

“Scans have unfortunately confirmed Jacob has a fracture in his navicular,” high-performance manager Phil Merriman said.

“Over the next few days, we will determine the exact management plan for Jacob, but it is likely to be a longer-term injury.”

It’s a worrying sign for the Norwood product, who was overlooked in the 2024 draft due to the same navicular injury despite being rated among the best South Australians in his crop.

Newton made his debut in round 23 last season after arriving in Perth with a quad strain and has played every game since, kicking 2.3 from his five games.

He was one of the most impressive performers over the pre-season, having locked in his role as a full-tim forward.

“I’d describe it as a goal kicking role, but it’s a mixture of everything — aerial work, pressure, tackling. It’s hard to explain but it’s working well for us so far,” he said.

“I’ve really locked into my role and what that looks like. Having the whole pre-season going over how we want to play and how we want our game to look has been extremely beneficial for me.

“It’s about having more time under my belt to fully understanding how I want to play and what that will look like.”

His injury compounds the loss of Milan Murdock, who is still three weeks away from returning from his hamstring injury and could open the door for Malakai Champion to earn an AFL recall.