Gold Coast have been dealt with yet another injury setback with No.3 draft pick Izak Rankine to spend the start of the AFL season in the casualty ward.
The teenager limped off the field during the third quarter of the Suns' second JLT match against Sydney and spent the remainder of the match icing his left hamstring.
Scans revealed that the midfielder suffered a tear to his intra-muscular tendon, meaning that he will most likely miss the first six weeks of the regular season.
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“Unfortunately, after a strong preseason, Izak strained his hamstring during a chase down tackle in the game against the Swans,” Suns head physiotherapist Lindsay Bull told the club’s website.
“Given the specifics of Izak's injury, the explosive nature with which he plays the game and where he is at in his career, we’ll take a responsible approach with Izak and make sure his rehabilitation is thorough and sets him up well moving forwards.”
The 18-year-old was tipped to make his debut against St Kilda in the opening round, but the Suns won't rush Rankine's return to the field given that it’s his first major injury.
Utility Aaron Young was also confirmed to have suffered an ankle injury in the club's loss to the Swans last weekend.
“Aaron came on during the second half of the game on Sunday and unfortunately his lower leg has been caught in an awkward position in a tackle,” Bull said.
“He’s sustained some damage to both his ankle and his midfoot in the incident, which is relatively uncommon.
“We'll commence his rehabilitation straight away and progression will be guided by his symptoms throughout the rehabilitation process.”
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George Horlin-Smith and Nick Holman will return to full training this week and will be available for the Suns' round one clash with St Kilda on Sunday March 24.