Star ruckman Nic Naitanui's season looks to be over, with the West Coast Eagles fearful the big man may have torn his left anterior cruciate ligament in Friday night's win over Hawthorn at Domain Stadium.
The Eagles' top-four chances were enhanced by the 25-point win but they spent the last half-hour of the match with plenty on their minds, after Naitanui went off the ground with a left knee problem.
![Nic Naitanui is helped from the ground after injuring his knee.](/web/20160820225445im_/http://www.watoday.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/x/3/p/p/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqx3o1.png/1471627084114.jpg)
"The boys are hurting a lot at the moment...we've got our fingers crossed but it doesn't look great," West Coast Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis said in a post-game interview.
Coach Adam Simpson later confirmed the Eagles "fear for the worst and hope for the best" and that victory had been bittersweet due to Naitanui's injury.
Channel Seven commentator Brian Taylor had earlier speculated there were concerns about lateral movement of Naitanui's knee and that "brings the ACL into play."
Former Geelong star Cameron Ling, alongside Taylor in the commentary box, predicted the Eagles would have a nervous wait for scans on Monday as Naitanui did not appear to be able to bear any weight on the knee.
Naitanui had contested a mark with Hawks champion Luke Hodge on the Eagles half-forward line late in the third term when he went down grabbing at the outside of his knee.
Initially slow to get up, Naitanui had to be helped off the ground by two trainers and was seen on the bench undergoing a series of tests.
He underwent further assessment during the three-quarter-time break and then returned to the bench and had an icepack strapped on in the last quarter.
At game's end the 2012 All-Australian was on crutches. Naitanui had only played two games back for West Coast since a lengthy stint on the sidelines because of surgery on both his ankle.
The 26-year-old kicked a spectacular last-second goal to win the game last week against GWS. An ACL ter would rule him out until next season and likely cost him a large portion of the 2017 campaign as well.
"We fear for the worst, and hope for the best. But we'll find out soon." Adam Simpson on @RealNaitanui pic.twitter.com/1C3QecVMFm
— West C st E gles (@WestCoastEagles) August 19, 2016