Jon Patton set to have traditional knee surgery and miss 2015 AFL season

INJURED Greater Western Sydney youngster Jonathon Patton did not receive a multimillion-dollar offer from Western Bulldogs, his manager said yesterday.

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INJURED Greater Western Sydney youngster Jonathon Patton did not receive a multimillion-dollar offer from Western Bulldogs, his manager said yesterday.

Paul Connors said he had had talks with Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney in which Patton was among ­several players discussed.

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Patton has been linked to the Bulldogs for several weeks and last week there was speculation a five-year, $900,000- a-season offer was being ­prepared. GWS sources told the Herald Sun yesterday they understood the deal was for up to seven years.

“There was no offer made and I have spoken to Jason and other clubs about Jonathon and various other players,’’ Connors said.

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Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick, who had denied a deal had been offered, preferred not to ­comment last night.

Patton is expected to shun LARS surgery on the right knee he badly damaged against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, meaning he will miss all of next season.

The good news for the forward is that GWS is almost certain to hurry through a contract ­extension offer.

Jon Patton lies on the turf after hurting his knee. Picture: Colleen Petch

Patton, 21, is facing his third major knee operation, and second reconstruction on the right knee, in as many seasons, but Giants coach Leon Cameron said the club would take a conservative approach to surgery.

“It’s a real shock for our footy club,” Cameron said.

“Jon’s 103 kilos; he’s a big key-position player. We’ll be recommending strongly that he goes down that traditional knee reconstruction.

“I’m pretty sure he’s thinking this way as well.”

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Patton, who is at home with his parents in Melbourne, is expected to have surgery next week.

Giants veteran Heath Shaw, a house mate of Patton, spoke yesterday of the youngster ­experiencing the “dark side” of football.

“He’s like a little brother to me, even though he’s two foot taller than me,” said Shaw, who phoned Patton after the Giants’ win against the Dees.

“He wasn’t really talking a lot, but you could take a fair bit out of it. He was really upset and trying to work out what has he done wrong for this to happen again.

“It’s just one of those things. Football is a cruel game. It can be really, really good and ­really, really cruel and Jonny has seen the dark side of it. It’s pretty shattering, to be honest. I’ve only known Jonny for nine months and lived with him for six of them, but ­learning about his past history and the injuries, it was shattering for him.

“He was pretty upset and after the game when we got told, all the boys were just in ­silence.”

Shaw admitted it was a difficult phone call.

“That’s probably the toughest thing, you don’t know what to say,” he said.

“You say, ‘Keep your chin up’, but it’s such a hard situation for him to be in and it’s sort of out of his control now.

“He just has to do everything right going forward.”

Patton’s injury compounds the Giants’ problems, with co-captains Callan Ward (calf) and Phil Davis (concussion) also sidelined before half-time on Sunday. Davis is expected to miss Saturday’s home game against Collingwood and Ward’s season is over.

Originally published as Jon Patton set to have traditional knee surgery and miss 2015 AFL season