NFL: Diamond Creek forward Jess Cosaitis’ future uncertain after suffering horrific leg injury

THE leading goalkicker in Northern Football League Division 2 has suffered a horrific leg injury which could end his career.

Jess Cosaitis suffered a broken leg in Diamond Creek’s win on Saturday. Picture: James Ross.

THE leading goalkicker in Northern Football League Division 2 has suffered a horrific leg injury which could end his career.

Diamond Creek spearhead Jess Cosaitis, who has kicked 33 goals in 10 matches this year, broke his tibia and fibula during the second quarter of the Creekers’ 13.12 (90) to 13.3 (81) victory over Lower Plenty on Saturday.

On a day when it enhanced its hopes of a top-two finish and double chance come finals, Diamond Creek’s premiership hopes suffered a significant blow when Cosaitis went down.

The key forward has had a 37cm rod inserted in his leg, undergoing surgery on Saturday night.

Creekers coach Craig Hayes conceded the severity of the injury could mean it would be “career-ending”.

“I saw the contest but I didn’t see the contact,” Hayes said.

“There’s been some contact to his lower leg to break both bones. It was fairly dramatic, a bit scary for him and everyone else.”

Cosaitis has booted 25 per cent of Diamond Creek’s goals this season, with Jai Norman (14), Jacob Booth (13) and Ryan Pingree (13) offering support.

“We are going to have to find a different way to do things, for sure,” Hayes said.

“He’s a quality player and will be sadly missed. It’s going to be a challenge.”

Hayes thanked the Bears’ trainers and their players for the support shown to Cosaitis after he was injured.

“Even at halftime the Lower Plenty players were coming up to him and wishing him well,” he said.

Lower Plenty kicked the only four majors of the first term on Saturday and led by 12 points at halftime.

The Bears still held a nine-point cushion at three-quarter-time before Diamond Creek slotted five goals to two in the last quarter to record a crucial nine-point win.

Hayes said his side would have kissed its top-two hopes goodbye if it had been beaten.

“I think that is a fair assumption and that is how we approached it,” he said.

“It gave us an opportunity to continue to strive for second spot.”

In other Division 2 results, Eltham hammered Watsonia by 93 points to move three games clear on top of the ladder, Banyule downed Fitzroy Stars by 78 and Thomastown overcame Epping by 36.