07 Oct Victory signing ruled out of Round 1 Melbourne derby

Melbourne Victory signing Robbie Kruse will miss the Round 1 clash against rivals Melbourne City.

Kruse has been ruled out of Saturday night’s season opener with a hamstring injury that has disrupted his pre-season.

GM of Football Operations Paul Trimboli says the club decided to err on the side of caution with the 31-year-old attacker.

“Robbie has been working tirelessly to overcome a hamstring issue and get his body ready, however at this stage, we still have some work to do with him,” Trimboli told melbournevictory.com.au.

“As well as recovering from the injury, Robbie needs time to improve his fitness and ensure he is 100 per cent ready for the intensity that is demanded in the A-League.

“Given the nature of his injury and the length of the season, we won’t be taking any risks and will treat his comeback cautiously.”

Kruse re-joined the Victory on a two-year deal in July having previously represented the four-time A-League champions between 2009 and 2011.

Victory and City meet in the season’s first Melbourne derby that kicks off at 7:30pm AEST from Marvel Stadium.