Hugh McCluggage can't catch a break in 2026.
The star Brisbane midfielder injured his calf during training on Thursday, with the club confirming he will miss four to five weeks.
It's McCluggage's third calf injury of the season and will mean the 28-year-old won't be seen at AFL level again until at least Round 17.
Having made four consecutive All-Australian squads throughout his career, McCluggage broke through for his maiden All-Australian blazer in 2025.
The star Lion's form has dropped significantly this season, however.
In 2025, he averaged 27.7 disposals, 4.5 tackles, six clearances. In 2026, those numbers have fallen away to an average of 17.7 disposals, three tackles and 3.9 clearances per game across nine matches.
McCluggage, along with Josh Dunkley, stepped into a co-captaincy role with Harris Andrews this season, but injuries have hampered his on-field impact.
The injury comes at a critical point in the season for Brisbane as the Lions look to snap their three-game losing streak this weekend against arch-rivals Gold Coast at People First Stadium.
If Brisbane was to lose, the season would be at risk of slipping away from the Lions with a tough run of games coming up against Geelong and Sydney in their next four fixtures.
McCluggage joins Dayne Zorko (quad, five weeks), Ryan Lester (calf, three weeks), Tom Doedee (calf, six weeks), Keidean Coleman (hamstring, five to six weeks) and Oscar Allen (foot, seven to eight weeks) as some of the key Lions in the rehab group.
