TOPIC:

WEST Coast rookie Simon Tunbridge has suffered a cruel blow going into 2017, rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Tunbridge suffered the injury in an innocuous training incident on Monday morning, his knee buckling when he changed direction.

The Eagles confirmed the half-forward's setback, which could place him on the sidelines for up to 12 months with a traditional knee reconstruction.

The 23-year-old will now discuss the best surgical options before going under the knife.

He is the second Eagle to suffer an ACL injury after star ruckman Nic Naitanui went down on the eve of the 2016 finals. Fellow ruckman Scott Lycett has sustained a PCL injury and is expected to miss the start of the 2017 season.

Tunbridge played three senior games late in 2016 and just once in 2015 when his season was all but wiped out by ankle and shoulder injuries.

The strong-bodied forward joined the Eagles for the 2012 season after initially being selected by Greater Western Sydney as a 17-year-old pre-selection.

He made his AFL debut in 2013 and showed promise in the final game of that season, earning elevation to the Eagles' senior list for 2014 and 2015.

He was delisted then redrafted as a rookie for 2016, with the Eagles keen to stick with the powerful West Australian, given his mix of size and athleticism.

Something you dont like to see happen to a young guy early in his career. Looks like he may go for the Hybrid Lars procedure to speed up the recovery. Hope it all works out for him.

As I raised earlier both Tunbridge and O'Meara were taken out of the WAFL as 17 year olds denying them both the chance to progress through colts, reserves and WAFL league level, instead put into some academy probably pumping iron and on rowing machines every day trying to turn them into 18 year olds ready to bang against men.

Has that lab experiment contributed to the early breakdown and halt to the careers of Tunbridge and O'Meara or just a coincidence? Maybe need to examine a bigger sample to draw any conclusions I guess but I have my suspicions being drafted into these academies at a young age has contributed to their problems.

DD wrote: As I raised earlier both Tunbridge and O'Meara were taken out of the WAFL as 17 year olds denying them both the chance to progress through colts, reserves and WAFL league level, instead put into some academy probably pumping iron and on rowing machines every day trying to turn them into 18 year olds ready to bang against men.

Has that lab experiment contributed to the early breakdown and halt to the careers of Tunbridge and O'Meara or just a coincidence? Maybe need to examine a bigger sample to draw any conclusions I guess but I have my suspicions being drafted into these academies at a young age has contributed to their problems.

Very good point. Definitely food for thought.