Top five AFL Draft prospect Gus Teixeira is currently nursing a calf injury, and there is a chance he will not return to the field this season.
The explosive and tough midfielder/forward missed Sandringham's game against Geelong with the injury, and the Dragons have not put a timeline on his return. He has several hurdles to clear before returning.
His most likely return timeline sits in the two-to-four-week bracket, which would rely on Sandringham winning at least one final to return.
Teixeira played through the calf injury at the Under-18s National Championships where he took out the program's internal most valuable player, alongside Dragons teammate Albert MacGowan, announced on Monday night.
His injury is an unbelievable revelation given he elevated himself into the conversation for the best open pool prospect during the national carnival.
Teixeira also kicked eight goals in a masterclass for St Kevin's College while managing the injury.
He averaged 17 disposals and kicked seven goals in four games for Vic Metro, spending significant time forward to showcase a different part of his skill set.
The Dragons are perennially among the better Talent League teams, reaching the grand final in the last four years, a period which has included three premierships.
The injury follows a foot complaint, setting Teixeira back in the first month of the season. His second match back was a Vic Metro trial game, which was one of the best individual performances of the season.
Meanwhile, fellow top five prospect Arki Butler is no guarantee to feature in Sandringham's game against Oakleigh this weekend. Like Teixeira, there is no concrete timeline on his return.
Despite playing his first game since fracturing his collarbone in early July for Brighton Grammar on Saturday, kicking two goals as premiership skipper, Butler was clearly hampered and well below his best.
His collarbone was heavily taped as he wore long sleeves in the match.
