Carlton defender Nic Newman has ruptured his patella tendon and will miss the entirety of the 2025 AFL season.
Newman was seen leaving the training track early on Friday, with reports indicating he hurt his knee. Nine's Tom Morris confirmed the devastating news in the evening, in what is a brutal blow for Carlton's season.
The 31-year-old has had a history of debilitating knee injuries, when in 2020 he was limited to two matches.
Newman has been a consistent feature of Carlton, playing 48 games across the past two years, including coming second to Patrick Cripps in the 2024 best and fairest count.
The left-footer could join star midfielder Sam Walsh on the sidelines for an extended period, with the 24-year-old suffering a hamstring injury that will rule him out for the next month.
Walsh's injury adds to a list of seven Carlton players gradually reintegrating into the larger playing group, with forwards such as Charlie Curnow, Corey Durdin, Blake Acres and Jack Silvagni all expected to reintegrate into the main program this month.
Matt Duffy and Matthew Cottrell are also on similar timelines, while Alex Cincotta aims to be available early in the 2025 home and away season.