The AFL career of Swans ruckman and Gunnedah export Sam Naismith is in doubt after he suffered another suspected ACL injury.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Naismith - who missed the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to long-term knee issues - suffered his latest knee injury in the Swans' 28-point loss to the Western Bulldogs at the SCG on Thursday night.
Read also:
It was only his second game since returning from that marathon stint on the sidelines, when he admitted to the Leader in April that he went through dark days.
Post-match, Sydney coach John Longmire said: "We'll confirm it with scans, but it looks like he's done his knee.
"It was in the last quarter at some stage. I'm not exactly sure. I only spoke to him briefly.
"He's missed two years of footy and comes back and plays round one and plays really well."
Naismith's sister Kristi died of cancer during the lockdown. Against the Bulldogs, Sydney wore two black armbands to honour his loss - along with the passing of teammate Josh Kennedy's grandfather, John Kennedy Snr.
Longmire said: "He lost his sister through that [the lockdown] break and then he comes back and does his knee. It's a terrible run for him.
"Nothing you can say. It's sort of, um ... You've just got to be there sometimes. We have to give him time to digest it.
"We're going to need some time to digest it. We've got to be with him and look after him because he's had a terrible run. In a number of ways."
