The St Kilda Saints are set to play the entire season without Nick Coffield after he went down with an ACL injury during a match sim on Friday morning.
Coffield went down clutching at his right knee before he was helped off the ground by medical staff, with play in the match simulation suspended for a period of around five minutes.
It has now been confirmed that Coffield will require a knee reconstruction after tearing his ACL, with the 22-year-old to miss the entire 2022 season.
Scans have confirmed St Kildaโs initial fears. Nick Coffield has torn his ACL and will require a knee reconstruction @AFLcomau
— Josh Gabelich (@JoshGabelich) February 5, 2022
โNick had been doing everything right this pre-season and we were really looking forward to seeing what he could achieve this year,โ Chief Operating Officer Simon Lethlean said.
โThis is a big blow to Nick, but we know heโll be doing everything he can to get back out there as soon as possible.
โWhile this is a significant setback, Nick has the full support of the entire Club as he attacks his rehabilitation.โ
It's understood that the 52-gamer has been among St Kilda's best performers on the pre-season track and was set for a start in Round 1 with the battling Saints, who finished tenth at the end of the 2021 season and are out to battle for a spot in the finals in 2022.
Reports suggest the Saints, who have two list spots still available, were only set to use one of spots before the pre-season supplemental selection deadline period, but may now bring in an extra player should they move Coffield to their inactive list.
Coffield was taken with pick number eight in the 2017 national draft by St Kilda and would debut for the club in Round 3 of that season.
