Essendon defender Jordan Ridley appears set to miss the start of the Bombers' season after exiting Friday evening's pre-season clash against the Cats with a leg injury.
The setback caps what had been a big week for the 2020 Crichton medallist after Ridley put pen to paper on a three-year extension that will keep him at Tullamarine until the end of the 2029 season.
Ridley was captured with ice on his upper right leg during the three-quarter time break, with the deflated Don consoled by teammate Andrew McGrath.
Speaking in the aftermath of Essendon's final quarter fade to the Cats at Kardinia Park, Bombers assistant coach Daniel Giansiracusa revealed that while Ridley had injured his quad, the extent of the setback was not yet known.
"He's got a tight quad," Giansiracusa told the press.
"Obviously, that will get scanned during the week and we'll see how that goes. He's an important player for us, so hopefully it's not too bad."
On Saturday, Essendon provided an update on the stopper's health, stating that Ridley had suffered a "low-grade quad strain".
The club took to X (formerly Twitter) to state that further information would be provided in the coming week.
This latest injury comes after Ridley spent the final month of Essendon's 2023 campaign on the sidelines after straining the same quad during the Dons' Round 19 loss to the Western Bulldogs.
The fading Bombers would miss Ridley's presence behind the ball across that crucial stretch, with Brad Scott's men conceding an average of 15.8 goals each week throughout their final five appearances.
Ridley's absence, paired with the void left by recently departed defender Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, will now mean that added weight falls onto the shoulders of former Roo Ben McKay during the early stages of his first season in red and black.
Essendon will open their 2024 campaign against Hawthorn on Saturday, March 16 at Marvel Stadium, leaving Ridley with a fortnight to make an against-the-odds return in time to play.