McCarthy and Gardiner suspected ACL tears would make five in Lions’ last nine Gabba games

With Lions Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner both suffering suspected ACL tears in the QClash, the numbers of recent ACL tears on the Gabba surface are soaring to a shocking amount.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 05: Lincoln McCarthy of the Lions is injured during the round eight AFL match between Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns at The Gabba, on May 05, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Is the Brisbane Lions’ sudden string of serious knee injuries a crisis or Gabba curse?

With forwards Lincoln McCarthy and Darcy Gardiner due to get scans on Tuesday after suffering suspected ACL ruptures in Sunday night’s QClash victory over Gold Coast, the Lions now have five players recovering from serious knee injuries.

Since Will Ashcroft went down against Geelong in round 19 last year, he has been joined in the rehab room by Keidean Coleman (ACL), Tom Doedee (ACL), McCarthy and Gardiner (suspected ACLs).

If scans confirm ACL ruptures for the two forwards, that will bring the total to five in just nine games at the Lions’ home ground, dating back to July last year.

Former Lion Jack Gunston also suffered a medium-term MCL injury three weeks after Ashcroft, in round 22 against Adelaide, while Carlton veteran Sam Docherty ruptured his ACL in this year’s Opening Round clash at the Gabba in the same game as Coleman.

Lincoln McCarthy went down early in the QClash. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Darcy Gardiner also has a suspected ACL tear. (Photo by Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

That raises the knee injury toll to seven – six ACLs and one MCL – in the past nine games at the Gabba.

Doedee re-injured his ACL as he was preparing to return from injury against Collingwood in round 3 this season, however the incident happened during a captain’s run on the Gabba.

In the same game as Gunston last year, Adelaide defender Mitch Hinge also hyperextended his knee in the first quarter but returned to play out the game and scans later cleared him of any structural damage.

Brisbane-based sports physiotherapist Brien Seeney believes it is unlikely the Gabba turf is the root cause of the injuries, though did concede the numbers were a “statistical outlier”.

“Both (the McCarthy and Gardiner injuries) look like pretty standard ACL mechanisms – I wouldn’t be blaming the surface for them,” Seeney told this masthead.

“I’d expect it to be a statistical outlier as it’s highly unlikely in the current professional sporting landscape that a surface would be so subpar it would contribute significantly to repeated knee injuries.

“The Lions wouldn’t let it happen for their own players’ sake if nothing else.”

Regardless of the how and why, Brisbane has been left counting a brutal injury toll in the wake of its stirring victory over the Suns.

Noah Answerth (concussion) and Brandon Starcevich (calf) were also ruled out of the clash on Sunday night.

Answerth will enter the mandatory concussion protocols and miss the trip to Adelaide to face the Crows this weekend, while the extent of Starcevich’s calf injury will be known by Tuesday afternoon.

The Lions are hopeful both Callum Ah Chee and James Madden will be fit for selection off respective hamstring injuries, however it still leaves them significantly underdone – particularly in defence – for a crucial three-week stretch of games before the mid-season bye.