Any tear to the ACL, partial or not, invariably ends in surgery for AFL footballers.
Geelong star Gryan Miers has emerged as an extraordinary trailblazer, playing on with a partial or incomplete tear, and preparing to roll the dice against Brisbane at the Gabba tomorrow night.
Leading sports medico Dr Peter Larkins told Zero Hanger: "Playing with an incomplete ACL tear is high risk".
"It is a decision made in combination with the player, medical staff and coaching staff ... the risk being accepted by the player," Dr Larkins said.
Geelong has performed its due diligence and made a considered decision. It is now it is a case of wait and see.
The Miers stance, and associated risk, is not part of a worldwide shift in ACL management in elite sportspeople, and very much an outlier in a high intensity 360 degree sport such as Australian rules.
There are past examples of players bracing up for three months and allowing a damaged ACL to "scar over", but Miers' comeback has been incredibly quick.
Miers made his return at VFL level against Collingwood on Saturday, playing the first three quarters and finishing with 21 disposals, four tackles and three clearances.
Scans only last month revealed damage to the ACL in his right knee.
Miers has missed only two weeks of football, fast-tracking a return to the VFL last week.
He was working through instability in the knee, and playing AFL strapped up (including in the Hawthorn Easter Monday blockbuster), before the shock scan result.
From here, any mis-step or further damage, will lead to a traditional reconstruction.
All Geelong fans, and Miers himself, can do now is hope for the best.
It will be a fascinating watch on Thursday night.
