Western Bulldogs star Tom Liberatore will miss the entire AFL season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Liberatore limped from Whitten Oval on Saturday after his leg buckled under the weight of Richmond's Tyrone Vickery in a routine tackle during the first quarter of their NAB Challenge match.
The Dogs feared the worst after their initial examination and scans on Sunday morning confirmed the 22-year-old required a knee reconstruction.
"Our initial prognosis of an ACL tear was confirmed today by MRI, and we are all feeling for Tom, who is an integral part of our team," football manager Graham Lowe said in a club statement.
"He is in good spirits, however, and we know he will take his rehabilitation in his stride. Tom is an extremely resilient young man, and will return bigger and better from this setback."
Liberatore will undergo a traditional reconstruction that usually requires 10 to 12 months of rehabilitation.
The star midfielder and reigning best-and-fairest winner was a key part of first-year coach Luke Beveridge's plans as he looks to reshape his team after the off-season losses of veterans Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen and Shaun Higgins.
The coach had resigned himself to the strong possibility he would be without Liberatore for the season when he spoke to reporters after the Bulldogs' 22-point win over the Tigers.
"If it is the case, it will just be another challenge we need to deal with and another opportunity for someone else to come in and forge some more of their AFL career," Beveridge said.
"He's such an important person and player around the club and he's one of our new leaders so it's disappointing for him and everyone around because he's crucial to the fabric of our footy club."
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