Western Bulldogs skipper Bob Murphy will miss up to a month of the AFL season after injuring a hamstring in Sunday's win over St Kilda.
The 34-year-old, who strained his left hamstring in the last quarter at Etihad Stadium, will also undergo minor surgery to clean out the knee he had reconstructed last year.
"Our assessment over the last 24 hours has confirmed that Bob has a moderate grade hamstring injury," Bulldogs medical chief Chris Bell said.
"We're also going to use this time while he's in rehab to perform a quick arthroscopic clean out on his knee, to address some of the minor signs of wear and tear he's had."
Murphy ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in round three last season and missed his club's historic charge to a second AFL premiership.
He has been a key contributor this season, averaging 22 possessions in nine games.
The Bulldogs have their bye round this week, which means Murphy might miss as few as two games.
In other news, the Bulldogs announced key defender Marcus Adams has agreed to a new three-year contract with the club.
The 23-year-old also missed the Dogs' grand final win over Sydney after a foot injury ended his season following round 15.
The Western Australian is understood to have been torn between a move to a club from his home state and re-signing with the Dogs.
"We believe Marcus has a big future at the Bulldogs and we're thrilled to see him extend his contract," Dogs list manager Jason McCartney said.
"We see him as a key pillar of our defensive unit, with his athleticism and intercept marking his standout traits. He is progressing very well.
"Through necessity he has gone forward at times this year and has been a threat, which has added another string to his bow."
Share
