AFL 2024: Adelaide Crows defender Wayne Milera’s season over after suffering serious knee injury

If Friday night’s result wasn’t bad enough, the Crows have lost Wayne Milera for the season after the defender went down with a knee injury late against Fremantle.

Wayne Milera of the Crows is assisted off the field injured. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Adelaide’s worst fears have been realised, with Wayne Milera set to spend the rest of 2024 on the sidelines with a ruptured patella tendon to his right knee.

Milera suffered the same injury on his left knee back in 2021, with scans confirming the rupture suffered during Friday night’s loss to Fremantle.

High performance manager Darren Burgess said he expected the rebounding defender to attack his rehabilitation.

The Crows fear Wayne Milera will miss the rest of the 2024 season. Picture: Getty Images

Milera in pain on the Optus Stadium deck. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s obviously devastating for Wayne who has dealt with his fair share of unfortunate injuries in his career so far,” he said.

“The surgery will mean he will miss the rest of the season while focusing on his rehabilitation.

“Unfortunately, he has been through this before so he knows the road ahead, but as we know with Wayne he is a very strong, positive person who will do everything to ensure he returns bigger and better next year.”

Milera played 22 games in 2023, but that is the only season in his nine-year AFL career that he has reached the 20-game milestone.

The 26 year old has played three games or less three of his nine seasons.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Adelaide Crows defender Wayne Milera’s season over after suffering serious knee injury