Western Bulldogs superstar Sam Darcy injures his knee against the Geelong Cats at GMHBA Stadium
Updated ,first published
Western Bulldogs star Sam Darcy dealt a devastating blow to the club’s title hopes when he suffered a knee injury in the match against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium.
The giant forward fell to the ground holding his left knee while advancing towards the ball in the second quarter. He did not contact anyone during this period.
Bulldogs football manager Matthew Egan told Fox Footy at half-time that they would await scans on Saturday before revealing the extent of the injury.
“The mechanism didn’t look very good, but we can’t confirm everything,” Egan said.
“Unfortunately, I said before that there was a serious knee injury here and we think it was the anterior cruciate ligament, but it wasn’t like that.
“So we have to be positive and wait for the scans.
“He was trying to help the boys tidy up in the rooms and it looks like he’s climbing on the bench.
“So that’s the kind of character he is, and let’s hope this is positive news for us.”
Darcy punched the ground before getting help from the playground. He managed to limp down to the rooms to have his knee tested. He took off his boots as he stood with the forward group at half-time. Several of his teammates and coaches gave him a consoling handshake or pat on the back.
The incident had cast a pall of silence on the crowd, with the Bulldogs’ flag hopes immediately collapsing following a possible anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Darcy had started the game at the back but was playing forward when the incident occurred.
Darcy suffered a knee injury last season but returned after missing two months with hyperextension. The injury to the same knee was diagnosed as a “impact fracture” and the ligament was stretched.
His injury on Friday night occurred with Geelong on top of the clash; Jeremy Cameron scored six goals in the 20th minute of the first half (and seven in the first half) as the Cats built a 50-point lead.
Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli was sent off by Oisin Mullin.
More to come
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.

