Melbourne key forward Brody Mihocek is out of his side's clash with Sydney at the SCG after sustaining a hamstring injury in the first quarter.
The 33-year-old clutched at his hamstring after tackling Sydney defender Lewis Melican in the Dees' forward 50.
"He felt an awareness of his hamstring early in the first quarter... in that lunging tackle," coach Steven King said.
"Once that happens, you don't send him back out there to see if he can do it properly or not. Hopefully, it's just at the minor end."
King spoke to the significance of Mihocek's injury, and how his absence impacted the club's front-half setup.
"He's a key part of our front half, and the way we set up the ground ahead of the ball, and that made us make some other moves — but that's the game," King said.
"Max Heath stepped up and spent more time in the ruck, and Max Gawn had to go forward a bit more. So, we just dealt with it.
"Obviously, it's not ideal, but hopefully it's not too significant and he'll only miss a short period of time, but I would have loved to have had 'Checkers' us out there for four quarters today, that's for sure."
When Mihocek left the ground, it started a string of a frustrating turn of events for Melbourne.
The game itself started in blistering fashion with seven lead changes halfway through the first quarter.
In game 250 - and against his old rival Max Gawn - Sydney's Brodie Grundy might be under the MRO microscope for a clip on Melbourne's Latrelle Pickett.
