MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 21: Alex Rance of the Tigers is assisted off the ground by trainers due to a knee injury during the 2019 AFL round 01 match between the Carlton Blues and the Richmond Tigers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 21, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

Richmond premiership defender Alex Rance will miss the remainder of the 2019 campaign after sustaining an ACL injury during the Tigers' 33-point win over Carlton on Thursday night.

Late in the third quarter, Rance went up for a marking contest and came down on his right knee, with the Tigers confirming the extent of his injury on Friday.

“We’re really disappointed for Alex that he’ll spend an extended period of time out of the game, he’s a wonderful player and fantastic leader of our team,” Richmond General Manager – Football, Neil Balme told the club's website.

“Alex, to his credit, has been incredibly positive since the injury occurred, and we’ll continue to rally around him in the coming days and throughout his rehab process.

“While we’ll miss his on-field contribution this season, we know he’ll apply the same dedication and discipline to his rehab and recovery, and we will continue to provide our ongoing support to him.”