Gold Coast’s Charlie Ballard to miss all of 2025 season with knee injury

A Gold Coast defender has become the 10th AFL player to have his 2025 season ended by a knee injury just two rounds in.

Injuries were the hot topic during the AFL pre-season and the pain for clubs has only increased after two rounds.

Gold Coast defender Charlie Ballard is the latest player to have his season ended by a knee injury.

Scans confirmed Ballard, who has played 134 games across eight seasons for the Suns, ruptured his ACL in his team’s round 1 win over West Coast.

“Charlie received scans upon arriving back on the Gold Coast late yesterday afternoon, with results confirming he had suffered a ruptured ACL,” Suns football boss Wayne Campbell said.

Charlie Ballard hurt his knee against West Coast and will miss the rest of the season. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It’s terrible news for Charlie and the team, but we will provide him with all the support he needs throughout his recovery to ensure he returns to his best next year.

“Charlie is an extremely important member of our club, on and off the field, and we will be with him each step of his journey.”

Ballard becomes the 10th player to be sidelined in 2025 with an ACL injury but is the only Gold Coast player on the list

Richmond has five players on the sidelines with the same injury and Carlton lost both draftee Jagga Smith and Nic Newman to season-ending knee injuries.

Western Bulldogs defender James O’Donnell could yet feature in his team’s 100-year marquee fixture at the MCG this Friday night against Collingwood after having a plate inserted to repair a fracture in his jaw.

James O'Donnell receives medical attention. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)\

O’Donnell was subbed out of the Dogs’ round 1 win over North Melbourne after suffering the injury ‘ate in the third quarter.

He had surgery on Sunday and was back at training on Monday.

“James received some incidental contact to his jaw from an opponent’s shoulder,” Bulldogs head of sports medicine Chris Bell said.

“This caused a small crack in his jawbone, which required surgery where a metal plate was put in to stabilise the crack.

“The surgery was completed yesterday, and he has bounced out well and is already chomping at the bit to get back into training.”