Hockeyroos have injury worries

The Australian women's hockey team has suffered two major injury blows which could
keep midfield stars Casey Eastham and Kate Hollywood out of this year's World Cup.
Hollywood has a broken hand and won't be able to hold a stick for the next seven
weeks, while Eastham is nursing a knee problem and has arrived home from Europe for
assessment.
The dual blow means both are racing time to recover for the World Cup in Argentina,
which starts in 10 weeks.
Hollywood, 24, and Eastham, 21, are two of the Hockeyroos' most experienced and
influential players and their absences mean coach Frank Murray must look outside his
squad for two potential replacements ahead of the peak period of the year.
After the World Cup Australia will focus on the Commonwealth Games tournament in New
Delhi.
Hollywood was hit by an opponent's stick in last week's 4-0 win over Great Britain,
but only learned over the weekend she had suffered a break in her left hand.
While she can at least work on her fitness while the hand heals, Eastham can't run
while she gets treatment on her right knee.
Eastham played in last week's win and in the 1-1 draw with Great Britain over the
weekend, but experienced pain throughout and on Monday visited a specialist.
Both are expected to be named in the World Cup squad next month but officials will
have to assess their fitness close to the tournament.
In a further worry for the Hockeyroos, striker Ashleigh Nelson suffered a foot
injury over the weekend and is on crutches, but has been cleared of a break.
Murray said Australia were desperate to have Hollywood and Eastham available for the
World Cup given their importance.
"It's obviously a risk but everything is a balancing act," he told AAP.
"If we had two or three players who were close to their abilities we probably
wouldn't take the risk, but we don't have that ... and now to have the three out is
a big issue for us."
Murray said Australia's major concern lay with Eastham, who was recognised last year
as the world's best young player.
He said Eastham was a 60-40 chance of playing in the World Cup, but said Australia
would not take any chances.
"Her knee is really causing problems, so it's cutting into what she's able to do and
she's getting pain regularly and she can't keep pushing through it," Murray said.
"We're hopeful of getting it settled, but it's very, very worrying for a 21-year-old
who's the international junior player of the year.
"She's part of our future so we don't want to do damage to it long-term. We have to
get it right."
The Hockeyroos' next assignment is a four-nation tournament against Germany, Ireland
and India, which starts this weekend.
Murray was also wary of making sure the absences of Hollywood, Eastham, Nelson and
Hope Munro, who did not make the tour of Europe through work commitments, did not
over-burden skipper Madonna Blyth in attack.