Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos is facing close to six weeks on the sidelines with a hairline fracture in his right knee following a knock in Saturday's loss to Hawthorn.
Daicos was unable to finish the match and after undergoing scans will now require an extended period on the sidelines after visiting a specialist knee surgeon.
The young Magpies star won't require an operation on his knee, but is facing over a month on the sidelines, missing the remainder of the home and away season.
Defender Nathan Murphy will spend up to three weeks on the sidelines and may also be absent until finals after sustaining a syndesmosis injury.
Collingwood football boss Graham Wright confirmed the double blow in a club statement on Sunday.
โWe are disappointed for both Nathan and Nick who will unfortunately miss games through injury for an extended period,โ Wright said.
โBoth players underwent scans after our game last night which confirmed Nathan suffered a low-grade syndesmosis injury in his right ankle and is expected to miss the next two to three weeks, while Nick has a hairline fracture in the lateral tibial plateau of the right knee joint.
โNick has been seen by a specialist knee surgeon this morning and, while fortunately this does not require an operation, it will need time to heal before he returns to football. At this stage, the expected timeframe for Nick is six weeks.
โBoth Nathan and Nick have played important roles this season, they are consummate professionals and will do all they can to progress though their rehab to make themselves available and we will support them through that recovery.โ
Daicos has enjoyed a sensational second season to be the favourite for the Brownlow Medal with three rounds remaining.
With Collingwood likely to secure the minor premiership and a home final in week one of the post-season, the 20-year-old could return close to the second week of their September series.
The Magpies will face Geelong on Friday night at the MCG, looking to snap a two-game losing run.
