By Jonty Ralphsmith
Gippsland AFL Academy player Xavier Lindsay sustained a PCL injury early in the second term of the Power’s loss to Dandenong on Saturday at Morwell Recreation Reserve.
Lindsay lunged for a tackle, landing awkwardly in an innocuous incident, briefly attempting to continue before quickly pulling up sore.
The teenager was helped from the field by trainers, unable to weight-bear after a strong start where he logged 11 disposals.
Onlookers initially feared an ACL injury, but scans confirmed it as a PCL rupture, meaning he will spend the next eight to 10 weeks on the sidelines.
While a blow for Gippsland on the eve of finals, crucially, he appears certain to start preseason uninterrupted.
Lindsay is a midfielder viewed as a first round prospect after an excellent season for the Power, averaging 23 disposals, and three national championships games for Vic Country which further boosted his stocks.