Geelong have confirmed an injury setback for star tall Sam De Koning after he was subbed out of Saturday's clash with Essendon.
The 24-year-old has played in the blue and white hoops every game this year, averaging 15 disposals per game while playing through defence and pinch-hitting in the ruck, but was met shoulder-to-shoulder with Will Setterfield in the third term at the MCG.
De Koning came from the field with the shoulder concern and was soon taken out of the game, as the Cats continued to run rampant over a young Bombers outfit.
De Koning was sent for scans on Sunday to confirm the prognosis, with the results revealing an AC joint injury in De Koning's left shoulder.
The club stated that De Koning will see a surgeon early during the week to discuss his options for recovery, with more information regarding a timeline to come following that meeting.
Often, without surgery, a timeline of 6-8 weeks is required to heal before making a return, with North Melbourne's Wil Dawson missing a month and a half of action with the same concern last year, while Saints skipper Jack Steele also missed six weeks after an injured AC joint in 2022.
Dawson would later undergo surgery in the off-season however, and depending on the severity of De Koning's injury, the Cats could potentially opt for an operation mid-season.
More to come...