Collingwood have confirmed Mason Cox has been ruled out of Round 3 with injury, with no clear timeline on his return to the field.
The Magpie suffered what was thought to be a bruised rib after Round 2's win over Port Adelaide, but scans revealed the 32-year-old had actually suffered a hematoma.
A hematoma, which appears like a bruise, is caused by damage to the blood vessels causing a collection of blood to leak out.
Collingwood's General Manager of football Graham Wright confirmed Cox's injury, stating that a timeline for the Pie's return would be assessed after further scans.
โMason experienced soreness in his rib area after the game last weekend,โ Wright said.
โHis injury was initially believed to be a bruised rib, however, after further investigation scans revealed a hematoma in that region.
โMason's health is our priority here โ he will now undertake further scans before we determine a timeline for his return.โ
Cox played 18 games last season, his highest total since 2018, and has featured in both of Collingwood's matches so far in 2023, averaging nine disposals.