Hawthorn star James Sicily set to miss 12 months after scans reveal ruptured ACL
A torrid 2020 season for Hawthorn has gone from bad to worse, with scans revealing star defender James Sicily suffered a ruptured ACL in the loss to West Coast on Sunday.
Sicily was helped off the ground in the final minutes of the fourth quarter after his knee was bent awkwardly when going after a 50-50 ball in defence.
Scans revealed the full extent of the 25-year-old's injury after Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson feared the worst after the game, with the defensive lynchpin set for 12 months on the sideline.
Hawthorn football boss Graham Wright described the injury to Sicily as a "devastating" blow to the proud football club.
The incident in which Sicily's left leg bent awkwardly and resulted in a ruptured ACL Getty
"This is obviously devastating for Sis, his teammates and the wider Hawthorn family," he said.
"He has developed into a leader both on and off field over the last few years, and was having an excellent year personally this season.
"He is a man of great resilience though and we have full faith he will be diligent in his recovery over the next 12 months."
The injury occurring in August means that it is highly likely fans will not see Sicily back in a Hawks jumper until the 2022 season, unless the 2021 season is pushed back from its regular March start date.
