Fremantle midfielder Hayden Young has revealed he wouldn't have been able to play in the AFL finals after breaking his leg during Sunday's 20-point loss to Port Adelaide.
Young thought he had suffered a corked calf during a collision early in the final term.
The 23-year-old went off for treatment before bravely returning to the field despite his struggles to run.
An injured Young attempted to fill a role in attack given his limited capacity to move, and subsequent scans have revealed he suffered a fracture.
Fremantle would have reached the finals with a win over Port, but Young wouldn't have been able to play in any case.
“I've got a little crack in my fibula, so not ideal," Young told Perth radio station 96FM.
"It was a bit of an interesting one. It sort of got a knock and just felt like a little stinger or corky and I tried to run it out, and obviously it just wasn't going away.
"And I was like, 'This is not your normal sort of corky'.
“It was a little bit frustrating because the game was in the balance and I felt like we were right in it.
"And I couldn't really take much part in that last quarter, so that's just the way it is.
"Sometimes in footy you get a bit of bad luck and stuff like that happens.”
Young's injury continued a rotten run of luck for Fremantle late in the season.
Skipper Alex Pearce made just one appearance in the final nine games after breaking his left arm twice, and ruckman Sean Darcy (knee) and spearhead Josh Treacy (knee) missed the last three games of the season as the Dockers crashed from third to 10th on the AFL ladder.
Darcy, who underwent knee surgery on the eve of the season, may require another operation after managing just 12 games this year.
Young averaged 23.8 disposals, five tackles and five clearances to go with 13 goals in his first full season as a midfielder, with the hot form earning him a spot in the extended 44-man All-Australian squad.
He was joined in the extended squad by teammates Luke Ryan, Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Jordan Clark.
"It's the most (players) this year along with Brisbane, which is good recognition," Young said.
"We've obviously had some good individual efforts this year, but ideally we would want to be holding up premiership medals and the cup.
"But it is great recognition for the players that have done well. It would be a huge honour (to make the final squad)."
