Eagles to consider LARS surgery for latest ACL victim

West Coast will consider a new hybrid LARS surgery for youngster Simon Tunbridge, who was the latest Eagle to go down with injury at training on Monday.

Tunbridge ruptured his Achilles after falling awkwardly while changing directions.

West Coast football manager Craig Vozzo said the club will consider three different surgical options; the traditional knee reconstruction, LARS surgery or a new hybrid LARS operation.

“In his case we do,” (consider LARS options),” Vozzo said.

“He is a rookie and it is a pretty important year for him, so we are going to have our doctors give us some recommendations over the next couple of days.

“There will be three possibilities — the traditional knee reconstruction which means out for the 10 to 12 months, the LARS which is a three-to-four-month recovery, or there is a hybrid LARS. We will have a look at that which is probably five to six months.

“With Simon we will seriously consider the different LARS options given his personal circumstances.”

The hybrid LARS involves a grated ligament and artificial fibre with a far quicker recovery time that the traditional knee reconstruction.

Tunbridge has had a wretched luck with injuries, managing just 10 games due mainly to several serious ankle injuries since joining West Coast as a rookie in 2012.

“He has never had a really good run at it and he has done a good preparation through the off-season and he was in really good nick. It is really disappointing for him,” Vozzo added.

Tunbridge joins ruckmen Scott Lycett and Nic Naitanui on the long term injury list.