(Image: Getty)
Star Carlton youngster Patrick Cripps has been ruled out for the rest of the season after scans confirmed he broke his leg against Melbourne on Sunday.
The 22-year-old sustained a fractured fibula when he was accidentally kicked in the back of the leg by an opponent at the MCG.
“Unfortunately, scans have revealed a fractured left fibula, but the good news from a medical perspective is Patrick won’t require surgery,” Carlton football manager Andrew McKay said.
“It would usually be approximately a six-week injury which, given the timing, takes us through to the end of the season. It’s obviously very disappointing for both Patrick and the club, but he will make a full recovery well before the start of the 2018 pre-season campaign."
Cripps has had another great year. He is ranked fifth in the competition for clearances and seventh for contested possessions.
The star midfielder is also second at Carlton for tackles and third for inside 50s in 2017.