St Kilda will be without midfield-forward hybrid Jade Gresham for the remainder of the season, with the gun Saint suffering a medial meniscus tear against the Eagles last Sunday.
Gresham was unable to finish the game at Optus Stadium, with the club since confirming the extent of damage to the 24-year-old's knee.
โThis is a big blow for Jade, who has already had a very injury-interrupted past few years,โ Head of Football David Rath said in a club statement.
โGiven Jadeโs history, specialists have also recommended a PCL reconstruction, so this will mean a five-month rehabilitation process.
โJade has our full support and we look forward to helping him get back to his best as soon as possible.โ
The setback sees Gresham join defender Nick Coffield and first-year Saint Jack Hayes in being ruled out for the rest of the year, while veteran Paddy Ryder's return likely hinges on a top eight finish.
Gresham wasn't the only casualty in St Kilda's 28-point win over West Coast, with fellow onballer Jack Billings suffering a back injury.
The Saints haven't been able to provide a timeline on Billings' likely return date, which could be cut short should St Kilda fail to make finals.
โScans have shown some disc compression in Jackโs back, meaning his mobility has been severely impacted,โ Rath added.
โHeโll undergo treatment this week, so weโll see how he responds and be able to garner a better understanding of his return to play timeframe after that.โ
The Saints are currently without defender Dougal Howard (knee), midfielder Dan McKenzie (calf) and uncapped ruckman Max Heath (concussion) for at least another week due to injuries.
On Thursday the Saints confirmed the return of veteran midfielder Dan Hannebery from injury for his first game of the year, while ruckman Tom Campbell has made his return to Brett Ratten's side.
The Saints will face Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, with the match to commence at 4:35pm (AEST).
