Loss of recruit for debut season

THE Gold Coast Suns will be without one of their star recruits for their inaugural AFLW season in 2020.

Former Brisbane Lion and Brisbane Roar W-League player Emma Pittman ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while playing for Coorparoo against Coolangatta in Round 3 of the QAFLW last weekend.

Coorparoo coach Michael Hewitt confirmed the injury and said she was unlikely to return for 12 months.

“It was just innocuous. She picked up the footy, turned and her knee blew out,” Hewitt said.

“She went to step and turn like she would any other movement pattern for a game. The next thing you know she is on the ground holding her knee which you see way too often in women’s footy. She won’t be back until this time next year.”

Hewitt said the side had already lost two players to ACL injuries this season after losing three in 2018 and another two the year before that.

When asked about the injury, Suns women’s football manager Fiona McLarty said they were yet to receive the results of scans.“We are still working through what that looks like,” McLarty said.