AFLW star Eliza McNamara has been ruled out of the upcoming season after fracturing her spine in a horror training accident.
McNamara, who plays for Melbourne, lost her footing while lifting a weighted barbell and was confirmed to have fractured her spine after being rushed to hospital.
“Eliza was completing a programmed exercise in the gym last week as part of her training prep, when she lost her footing while lifting a weighted barbell,” Melbourne’s AFLW program manager, Marcus Wagner, said in a statement.
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“She unfortunately sustained an injury to her L1 vertebra in the process and was transferred to hospital immediately.
“Thankfully, Eliza’s neurology is completely intact. She underwent surgery on Saturday to stabilise the area, which all went to plan, and she is expected to make a full recovery, albeit a lengthy journey.
“It’s incredibly unfortunate for Eliza and our team. She has had a great couple of months and was preparing to take her game to another level this season.”
After being drafted at No.15 in the 2020 draft, McNamara has become a vital part in the Demons’ side.
The 20-year-old midfielder has played 22 games across her first two seasons with the Demons and was in the side which played in last year’s grand final.