Collingwood forward Dan McStay will be sidelined for up to two months after scans confirmed a medial ligament strain in his left knee, sustained during the final quarter of the Anzac Day clash against Essendon at the MCG.
The club announced on Saturday that McStay has suffered a moderate-grade MCL injury, with Executive General Manager of Football Charlie Gardiner revealing the 28-year-old is set to miss six to eight weeks of action.
“Unfortunately, scans confirmed this morning that Dan has sustained a moderate grade MCL injury during yesterday’s Anzac Day match against Essendon,” Gardiner said in a club statement.
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“The injury is expected to see him out of the game for the next six to eight weeks.”
A professional through setbacks
It’s another brutal blow in what’s been a torrid run for the key forward. McStay’s 2023 campaign ended before the Grand Final after he injured his right knee during training. A few months later, he ruptured the ACL in his left knee, forcing him to sit out the start of the current season.
Friday’s injury marks a third serious knee concern in less than a year, and with the latest setback coming to the same leg as the reconstructed ACL, the club was understandably relieved to avoid surgical intervention.
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Coach Craig McRae confirmed on ABC radio: “Just some rehab and in a brace for a period of time. Around 6–8 weeks without being too precise.”
Gardiner, however, backed McStay to bounce back once again. “Dan is an absolute professional and has shown a remarkable ability to bounce back from injury and setbacks across his career, so we are confident he’ll play an important role for us in the second half of the season.”
McStay has played four games this season, booting four goals. The Magpies next face Geelong, with captain Darcy Moore still in doubt due to lingering vertigo symptoms.