Sam Flanders' Achilles rupture has been confirmed, ruling the Saints midfielder out of the rest of the 2026 season.
Flanders required assistance to come from the field in the club's heavy loss to Hawthorn on Thursday night, with subsequent scans on Friday revealing the extent of the damage.
It is set to sideline him for the next 12 months, with the Gold Coast recruit to undergo surgery next week.
Flanders took to Instagram to express his emotion: “Setback not the end. Grateful for all the support. See you next year.”
He joined the Saints ahead of this year on a five-year contract worth in the vicinity of $900,000.
In positive news for the Saints, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Mitch Owens and Liam Ryan are all a chance to return next week against Sydney.
The 5-7 Saints looked impotent in the first half and will be looking to bounce back, with the Swans clash followed by matches against GWS and Western Bulldogs which will prove decisive in the outcome of the club's season.
