The tight-knit Ovens and Murray Football League is hoping for the best after Wangaratta star Daniel Sharrock was stretchered off in gut-wrenching scenes against Yarrawonga on Saturday.
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At the second minute mark of the final term, Sharrock injured his reconstructed right knee and appeared to know immediately the seriousness of the situation.
He had his head in his hands and team-mates rushed to console him as they became aware of the injury during a frenetic start to the final quarter.
Sharrock was understandably too shattered to speak after the match, but given it was the same knee he injured as a rising star in 2018, it was a sombre mood in the dressing room and not helped by a thrilling two-point away loss.
"I was about in tears there talking to him after the game, he's a much loved member of our footy club and there's no one who's more Wangaratta than Daniel Sharrock," Pies' coach Ben Reid offered.
Sharrock is hoping to have a scan either Monday or Tuesday.
The 25-year-old, who stepped down from the VFL to concentrate on playing for his home club, making the weekly trip from Melbourne, revealed during the COVID year he had had four operations on his troublesome right knee.
However, the classy midfielder had since established himself as arguably the league's best player last year.
It's been a horror week for the Pies after former AFL player and boom recruit Pat Naish injured his pectoral muscle against Wodonga.
"I had an MRI and it came up as a partial tear, I'll see the surgeon on Monday and find out whether it needs surgery," he said.
If the injury is as serious as first feared, it could almost end Naish's season.
Wangaratta was tipped as a top three certainly, but is remarkably 0-4.
Its average losing margin has been only eight points, but the pulsating game against Yarrawonga, playing in front of a strong home crowd on a glorious day, will be one of the matches of the season.
