The AFL's biggest free agent Tom Lynch will be sidelined until June with a knee injury before he can return again for the Gold Coast Suns.
The Suns co-captain appeared hobbled after the Round 6 match against Adelaide on Saturday, however after the club assessed Lynch and his knee concern, it was found that he is suffering from a PCL issue once again.
“Unfortunately, he has experienced some aggravation in his right knee, so it’s the same PCL that he had some issues with last year,” Gold Coast's General Manager of Football Operations Jon Haines told goldcoastfc.com.au.
“Given the history of that, we’ve decided to take a fairly conservative approach and Tom will take some time off to get some more strength in and around that knee area,
“At this stage, we would be looking for him to return after the bye.”
Lynch will not be required to go under the knife, however it raises concerns for the Suns - and other clubs - because this is the same injury that ended his season last year.
The key forward will focus on rehabilitation for the next month before the club considers bringing him back into the lineup for the latter half of the season.
Lynch will also miss out on the Suns' match up against Port Adelaide held in China this year, looking to rest and strengthen his knee during that time.
The Suns expect Lynch to return to their lineup in Round 11 when they face-off against Geelong.
Gold Coast will also be without co-captain Steven May for Saturday's clash with the Bulldogs, after having minor finger surgery during the week.