West Coast AFL defender Will Schofield is nursing a fractured cheekbone after being attacked in his hometown of Geelong in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The Eagles released a statement on Monday saying Schofield was set upon in an unprovoked attack while walking back to his car after a night out.
Geelong detectives are investigating the incident.
Schofield was treated at Geelong hospital and flew back to Perth on Sunday night.
The 24-year-old won't require surgery on his fractured cheekbone, but he's already been ruled out of Saturday night's clash with Adelaide at Patersons Stadium.
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Schofield was among a group of West Coast players who were granted permission to stay in Melbourne for the weekend after the club's loss to Collingwood on Friday night.
West Coast midfielder Chris Masten said it wasn't in Schofield's nature to get involved in any altercations.
"He's annoying, he's grumpy and he's negative. But he's like a big cuddly bear - he wouldn't hurt a fly," Masten said of his close friend.
"He was back in his home town, so people probably knew who he was and tried to make a name for themselves."
Schofield has played 94 games for the Eagles since making his debut in 2007, establishing himself as a vital cog in West Coast's defence.
The incident caps off a forgettable year for the Eagles, who started the season as premiership fancies before crashing out of finals contention.
