Charlie Curnow to undergo surgery after hurting right knee again

Charlie Curnow has suffered a serious setback in his bid to return next season and will undergo surgery after hurting the same knee which ruined his 2020 season.

Charlie Curnow has suffered a setback in his bid to play again.

Carlton’s enthusiasm that Charlie Curnow would be ready for Round 1 next year has been rocked by a new knee setback that will see him have surgery on Wednesday.

The club’s exciting key forward needs surgery to stabilise a stress injury in his patella in the same knee that has already needed multiple operations in the past 18 months.

The Herald Sun reported last month that Curnow had been near full training in the club’s Queensland hub late in the season, giving them hope that he might make a full recovery from the injury.

Instead the latest issue will sew the seeds of doubts that Curnow, 23, might fail to realise his potential given the continued setbacks with his knee.

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The Blues confirmed on Tuesday night that Curnow had been told he needed more surgery which would speed his recovery after a nightmare run that started when sustained ligament damage in his knee in Round 15, 2019.

“Charlie’s patella has been complicated by this current stress injury, however whilst he has been able to continue with his rehabilitation program, his specialist orthopaedic surgeon feels that surgery to reinforce the area of bone stress will hasten his return to training and minimise the risk of further injury,” football boss Brad Lloyd said.

“We’re fully supportive of this approach and will continue to support Charlie through his recovery process.”

Charlie Curnow showed promising signs while training in the club’s Queensland hub.

Curnow’s issues began when he hurt his knee last year, with Curnow then dislocating his kneecap playing social basketball with friends in October last year.

He had a pin inserted into the patella, with Curnow then needing more surgery in November last year after he slipped on tiles in his home, with surgeons wrapping wires around the kneecap to hold it together.

He had more surgery in March to remove those pins and wires but on April 17 scans revealed a hairline stress response, with the Blues shutting down his season.

The Charlie Curnow news is just so deflating. Got the same sort of feeling I had after Doc's second knee

— The 'Baggers (@BaggersFooty) November 10, 2020

Feel sick for Charlie Curnow. Just hope he can make a full recovery and come back into the side when we need him. #AFL

— Jedd Zetzer (@JeddZetzer) November 10, 2020

Had the AFL extended the season one more month the Blues had believed he might have been available for an unlikely finals tilt.

But instead after a fifth incident involving his knee the Blues will need to be incredibly cautious to ensure his career is not in doubt.

The single silver lining for Curnow is that he has signed a contract through to 2023 that gives him time to rehabilitate his knee.

The Blues also have Harry McKay, Levi Casboult, Tom de Koning and Mitch McGovern who are capable of playing starring roles as key forwards.

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Originally published as Charlie Curnow to undergo surgery after hurting right knee again