Sam Darcy is our Most Important Player

[Bulldog Joe]

Yeah, that was my thought too. Adam Cooney's cracked patella/cartilage issue puts the fear of god in me when it comes to knees- her never really was the same.

If it has to be the year to get it right, so be it. I am pessimistically optimistic that he will be back for the back end of the year though.

That is a great description of my emotions.

Fantastic if he could be right for the last 6 to 8 weeks of the season.

[Curly5]

Every injury is different but let's trust that knee surgery in sports medicine has come a long way since Adam Cooney's injury. We seem to have access to the best doctors.

[Bornadog]

Please don't do that. I can't take being shattered twice.

I'm going with ACL until I'm told it's not.

Would they have a had a scan already this morning ?

It's not. See injury update

[weltschmerz]

Knee fracture isn't good, but his ACL being intact is so important for his future. Few months on the weights, full pre-season, and 2026 he wins the Coleman.

[Go_Dogs]

You come at the king, you best not miss. Ripping news. Long live King Darce.

[Grantysghost]

Avoided the worst

Good news. Still a significant injury but ACL avoided is great.

[EasternWest]

Knee fracture isn't good, but his ACL being intact is so important for his future. Few months on the weights, full pre-season, and 2026 he wins the Coleman.

It feels weird saying something so bad is actually good news, but it's good news if that makes sense.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Unbelievable news. Easter miracle!

[doggies ftw]

This is incredible news really, it’s so rare that the clubs initial outlook being so grim last night, is not correct. Can’t really remember it happening in recent times, definitely not to us anyway.

More so than the loss this year, I was really just concerned about how he comes back from an ACL, at his height, mobility etc it’s just something that I could see not being a straight forward recovery and an ongoing issues with reoccurrences etc

Him keeping that structure in his knee sound is just amazing news, even with the nasty injury he still has to rehab

[The bulldog tragician]

I did hear Dr Peter Bruner on AW and he said it is the least likely of three outcomes but he didn’t downplay either that this is a serious injury. Goddammit footy can be unfair. Sam Darcy had single handedly returned my joy in footy. I hope his immense potential is still able to be realised, he is special.

[chef]

Hallelujah

[jeemak]

A quick AI search tells me an impaction fracture is usually something that happens to children, and heals in around a month. Adults up to three to six months for full bone reforming.

Let's see but based on that a return to play this year is a possibility. So much better than an ACL.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

“Scans have cleared the ACL of damage but confirmed that he has suffered a significant knee injury with an impaction fracture at the front of his knee and associated ligament damage at the back of his knee,” Chris Bell, Head of Sports Medicine at the Bulldogs, said.
Ah well. Now an afternoon awaits googleing medical sites....

[jazzadogs]

One good thing about an ACL injury is that there is a clear evidence-based pathway for surgery, rehab and return to football. All of our doctors, physios, strength and conditioning team will have managed that before.

While this sounds initially better (and it is nice in the sense that it suggests his ACL is able to withstand significant stress, so future ACL injuries are less likely), I am bracing for a slow recovery and more ongoing issues than a typical ACL reco. The potential for poor bony healing is pretty high, and bone bruising in itself can be unpredictable.

But it's really all guesswork, you don't know unless you're putting your hands on and looking at the scans yourself.

[Go_Dogs]

One good thing about an ACL injury is that there is a clear evidence-based pathway for surgery, rehab and return to football. All of our doctors, physios, strength and conditioning team will have managed that before.

While this sounds initially better (and it is nice in the sense that it suggests his ACL is able to withstand significant stress, so future ACL injuries are less likely), I am bracing for a slow recovery and more ongoing issues than a typical ACL reco. The potential for poor bony healing is pretty high, and bone bruising in itself can be unpredictable.

But it's really all guesswork, you don't know unless you're putting your hands on and looking at the scans yourself.

Is this based on your research? I’m sure there are cases that go both ways but from what I can gather will depend on damage to the bone and extent of any surgery required to help stabilise the joint.

Hopefully there is a plan soon enough that can give us some information and allow us to set expectations for balance of this season.

It sounds like it will be “indefinite” for a while though.