Fingers are crossed around the AFL after Adelaide defender Nick Murray lasted less than a quarter in just his fifth game back from an ACL injury.
The 23-year-old suffered the injury to his left knee in Round 19 last year and only returned to AFL action a month ago.
But Murray suddenly held fresh concerns early in Friday night’s clash with Essendon at Marvel Stadium and sought out club doctors himself.
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“He came from the ground pointing at the left knee and went straight down into the rooms with the doctor,” Abbey Holmes said on Channel 7.
“He resurfaced just before the quarter-time break.
“He has spent significant time looking through some vision with the medical staff and during the quarter-time break he did a fitness test — changing direction, really testing out that knee.
“Unfortunately he is not starting this second term on the ground.”
Seconds later Murray was ruled out for the rest of the game, replaced on the field by substitute Brayden Cocks.
Murray looked devastated on the bench as he wrapped a hoodie over his head.
“You could tell the way the doctors were looking at that, they looked ultra concerned,” Brian Taylor said.
While everyone seemed to fear the worst-case scenario that Murray’s ACL had torn again, Matthew Richardson clung to the slimmest of hopes.
“I think they’re going to be ultra conservative,” he said.
“(The Crows) love this guy, they just got their balance back, they want him and Jordon Butts down back as their pillars. Disappointing for the young man.”
Murray will undergo scans to confirm the extent of the injury but told Channel 7 after the game his knee is “feeling really good”.
“Obviously there was that little incident at the start and I just didn’t want to take any risks after what happened last time,” he said.
“Compared to last time I’ve still got full extension of my knee, there’s not much swelling. It’s just more of a conservative approach (to be subbed off). There’s no risk.”
Adelaide’s social media posts confirming Murray had been subbed out were flooded with well wishes.
“Footy is cruel,” one fan wrote.
“He looks shattered — hoping it’s not bad news but his face tells the story,” said another.
Adding salt to Adelaide’s wounds after losing Murray, Butts went down in the third quarter just when Essendon were in the midst of a comeback.
The 24-year-old limped from the ground with a foot complaint to be checked in the club rooms.
Replay footage showed Butts had been hurt while giving away a free kick against a leading Nate Caddy.
The Bombers subbed out Jye Caldwell in the fourth quarter.