Cranbourne champion Brandon Osborne has been sidelined after sustaining a serious knee injury

Cranbourne has been dealt a huge blow after its champion defender was struck down with a serious knee injury, but he was quick to lift his teammates when breaking the devastating news.

It’s a fierce blow for champion Cranbourne defender Brandon Osborne.

Osborne, who is often considered one of the best defenders in local football, will miss a lengthy period of time after he sustained a serious knee injury.

The premiership captain went down during the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ match with Cheltenham a fortnight ago.

Osborne was instructed to go under the knife after he damaged his ACL, MCL, PCL and femur.

Brandon Osborne (L) lifts the Southern league silverware. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Eagles’ coach Steve O’Brien hopes it’s not the end of what has been an outstanding career.

“He doesn’t really want to finish up like this, that was never the plan,” O’Brien said.

“For now it’s just getting his operation done and getting his recovery underway and go from there.

“It would be a sad way to finish if it is but he’s a very resilient man so it wouldn’t shock me if he came back and was just as good as what he’s always been.”

Osborne quickly told the devastated playing group to “get on with it” after he broke them the news of his injury.

“Once the news come through and how bad it was, it was very deflating, there’s no doubt about that,” O’Brien said.

“He’s so well-respected among not only our club but every club he’s competed against, we were flat, but he came down and told us to get on with it because that’s what he expects of us.

“So that’s what we’ll do.”

The file of Brandon Osborne spoils runs deep. Picture: Derrick den Hollander

The Eagles’ premiership coach has always been quick to sing the praises of Osborne’s ability to smother the oppositions best forward.

O’Brien said his relationship with Osborne has grown beyond the appreciation for his efforts on top forwards.

“His speed and his ability to use his body against blokes who are so much bigger than him, he just defeats them time and time again,” he said.

“You actually watch him play and you watch his opponents zap in a game when he keeps coming in there and defeating them one-on-one.

“You see them drain physically and that’s incredible as a coach to watch.

“As a person he’s such a genuine bloke who genuinely cares for people, his mates are his mates for life, he’s such a special character – I can’t speak more highly of him.

“I am not just his coach, he’s my great mate, which is what makes his injury more difficult.”