Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands will miss the rest of the AFL season after re-injuring his right hamstring in Sunday's nine-point loss to St Kilda at Domain Stadium.
Sandilands, who had missed the previous five weeks with a hamstring issue, lasted just 18 minutes before pinging his right hamstring while sliding for a ground ball.
Scans will determine the extent of the damage, but coach Ross Lyon confirmed the injury was season-ending.
"It's a significant injury. That's the end of Aaron for the year," Lyon said.
"He's a pretty tough character. It's just the environment we're in - stuff happens.
"I haven't checked in on him. I just gave him a tap on the bum."
Lyon denied the club had rushed Sandilands back too early.
"If you're cleared to play, you play. We didn't take a risk for it," Lyon said.
"You're stoking a fire that doesn't exist."
The Dockers led by three points when Michael Walters booted his sixth goal of the match with just seven minutes remaining.
But St Kilda forward Josh Bruce booted two goals in the final two minutes to help guide St Kilda to the 12.17 (89) to 12.8 (80) win.
Bruce put the Saints ahead with 1.47 remaining when he snapped a goal in traffic.
And he added the icing on the cake in the final seconds of the match when he ran into an open goal after Fremantle's final hurrah failed to pay dividends.
The Saints' third win on the trot boosted their record to 8-6, while the Dockers slip to 6-8 following five straight losses.
St Kilda midfielder Jack Steven was reported for a gut punch on Hayden Ballantyne, but the force appeared to be minimal.
"I didn't see much of it, because the angle wasn't great," St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said.
"It looks like, given that he had a pretty tough day and was frustrated ... I don't really know."
Dockers forward Cameron McCarthy could also be in strife after driving Sam Gilbert's head into the ground in a fierce tackle.
Gilbert had to be stretchered off the ground, and failed to take any further part in the match.
Richardson said Gilbert had been cleared of any serious damage, and didn't think there was anything sinister in the tackle.
"As soon as he got off the ground he got off the stretcher and was up and about," Richardson said.
"They were a little bit concerned about moving him (initially) with his neck. But it might be that he was just dazed."
Bruce finished with three goals in an otherwise quiet display, while Koby Stevens, Seb Ross, and Jack Steele (17 tackles) were important in the win.
Walters was the star of the show for Fremantle, finishing with 6.2 from 32 disposals.
Share
