Melbourne defender Jake Bowey will be forced to undergo foot surgery, ruling him out for the start of the next AFL season.
The premiership player will be sidelined for six months, in a significant blow to the Demons under new coach Steven King.
Bowey, 23, had a career-best season this year, finishing fourth in Melbourne's best-and-fairest voting. He played all 23 games, taking his career total to 84.
"This is a really unfortunate injury for Jake, who hurt his foot during a recent training session, with scans confirming a Lisfranc injury," Melbourne football boss Alan Richardson said in a statement.
"Jake will have surgery in the coming days ... we will ensure Jake receives all the support he requires throughout his recovery period."
