Adelaide star Brodie Smith suffers suspected ACL tear in qualifying final against GWS
ADELAIDE fears star defender Brodie Smith has ruptured his ACL against GWS and will therefore play no further part in its tilt at the premiership.
REBOUNDING Crows defender Brodie Smith is unlikely to be part of Adelaide’s promising run to the club’s first AFL Grand Final since 1998 after suffering serious damage to his right knee.
Smith hobbled out of the 36-point win against Greater Western Sydney in the qualifying final at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night with the early diagnosis being a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that would put him on the sidelines for 12 months.
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“We’re shattered for him,” Adelaide coach Don Pyke said after the win that sets up a home preliminary final at Adelaide Oval in a fortnight.
“Brodie has put his heart and soul into the season — and it looks over for him. It is disappointing for everyone involved.”
Fellow AFL players including Geelong’s Zach Tuohy and South Australian Fremantle midfielder Lachie Neale were among the many on social media extending their best wishes to Smith after the injury.
Smith’s injury is the only sour note from Adelaide’s assertive win that Pyke noted was built on “doing a lot of little things right.”
“We are one step closer,” added Pyke as Adelaide prepares for its first home preliminary final since 2006. “I am excited for the players who put a lot of effort into that. I am proud of them.”
Adelaide is most likely to play the preliminary final on Friday, September 22.
The opponent will come from any of Sydney, Geelong, Richmond and Essendon.
There was an emotional postscript to the match as lead ruckman Sam Jacobs was hugged by Crows staff and teammates and GWS rivals in recognition of the emotional strain he carried into this final with the death of his older brother Aaron last week.
And there were consolation hugs to Smith from his teammates as he crossed the oval on crutches.
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“It is never easy when a player has to deal with tragedy,” Pyke said of Jacobs’ emotional lead-up to the final. “Sam was adamant he wanted to play. It always was going to be difficult. But it also is a credit to him for the way he performed — and delivered on his commitment to his teammates. He did not want to let them down.
“I am super proud of Sam — and sad for him as well.”
Adelaide will regain vice-captain and key midfielder Rory Sloane for the preliminary final after he missed Thursday night’s playoff by the appendix surgery he had last week.
Pyke noted Adelaide has much to consider in preparing for the home preliminary final in two weeks.
“We have to find the balance in training and allowing the players to freshen,” Pyke said. “If we keep training we could make them stale.”