The GWS Giants and Western Bulldogs have been left with several injury concerns after a bruising Saturday night contest that saw the Dogs head back to Melbourne with the four points after a 20-point win.
The Bulldogs found themselves without a valuable defender early on, when Taylor Duryea was forced to head to the bench after landing awkwardly in a marking contest in the third quarter. The 31-year-old was subsequently subbed out of the game.
Speaking post-match, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said the club were expecting scans to reveal an MCL injury.
"The report coming out of our medical crew is he's hurt his MCL. To what extent they'll confirm later on after a scan," Beveridge said.
"I think it will still be a significant injury. It's not just a grade one type strain ... he's really damaged it. I think he's going to be out for a little while."
Beveridge also spoke on young forward Cody Weightman, who kicked five goals in the first half of the contest before appearing to dislocate his elbow in the third term.
The 21-year-old returned to the field to play out the match despite the injury, a "brave" move according to Beveridge.
"It was a nasty injury. He was brave and he came back on. It’s pretty swollen," Beveridge said.
"Hopefully it settles down quickly. I’d imagine our guys will scan it and see what’s happened.
"Hopefully it’s not too bad, other than the trauma of dislocating it.
"He fought the good fight in the second half, and kept the legs ticking over for us. He was pivotal to us winning the game."
The Giants found themselves undermanned in the cracking contest too, with three players sidelined throughout the game, after Matt Flynn was a late out with a quad injury.
Ruck Braydon Preuss was subbed out before the main break with an apparent ankle injury, with Giants interim coach Mark McVeigh saying that the club was hoping the injury was on the lesser end.
"That's a big blow for him because he was ill before the mid-season break and he's fought back, played good footy in the VFL and for that to happen is really disappointing," McVeigh said post-match.
"We don't know where it will land, but you'd have to think he's in doubt. He'll be extremely disappointed because he wants to give back to the footy club who have shown a lot of faith in him and he was doing everything right.
"As a footballer these things happen but you've got to find a way to get through them and we'll support him and he'll be OK. Let's hope it's on the lesser lend."
GWS were also forced to see out the game without James Peatling struck down with hamstring tightness and debutant Ryan Angwin suffering an ankle injury.