Brisbane's injury crisis has taken another cruel turn, with key forward Eric Hipwood likely to be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a calf injury during the Lions' 57-point win over Fremantle on Friday night.
The injury was sustained in the first half, but Hipwood played through pain to see out the match, according to AFL Media's Michael Whiting. The 27-year-old was seen leaving the field with strapping and a brace around his left calf following the win.
The news comes at a brutal time for Brisbane, who are already in the midst of an ill-timed injury plague. Dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale is currently recovering from a quad injury for the remainder of the home-and-away season, while Jarrod Berry suffered a dislocated shoulder on Friday night, which could see him miss the Lions' blockbuster Round 24 clash with Hawthorn at the very least, depending on what scans uncover this week.
This season, Hipwood has struggled to kick goals as consistently as in previous years, averaging a career-low 1.1 goals per game. However, he has been an important cog of Brisbane's scoring chains, averaging 4.0 score involvements per game.
In his absence, the Lions could choose to call up youngster Henry Smith, who exploded onto the AFL scene with a three-goal flurry against Collingwood in Round 21.
