Retiring Hawthorn champion Luke Breust’s career has come to an end, with scans confirming he has suffered a serious knee injury.
Breust suffered the season-ending injury during Saturday’s VFL preliminary final between the Box Hill Hawks and Footscray Bulldogs.
In a statement released on Sunday, Hawthorn confirmed that subsequent scans had identified an ACL/MCL injury.
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Luke Breust after suffering his knee injury. AFL
As Breust was laying a tackle on Josh Kellett during the second quarter, the three-time premiership-winning Hawk’s right knee twisted awkwardly when his leg got caught.
He appeared in immediate agony and was quickly seen to by trainers.
“The right knee has caved in,” Jason Bennett said in commentary for Seven.
“That’s pretty gruesome.”
Breust could not bear any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the field.
After a brief assessment by Box Hill’s club doctors, he limped gingerly along the boundary line before heading to the rooms.
The injury draws the curtain on one of the great Hawthorn careers.
Breust retires as a three-time premiership player, having won flags in 2013, 2014 and 2015, a five-time leading goal-kicker for the club, and a two-time All-Australian.
Last month, the 34-year-old announced that he would retire at the conclusion of this season.
Selected by the Hawks in the 2008 rookie draft, Breust debuted in 2011. He went on to play 308 senior games and kick 553 goals for the club.
The small forward finishes his career as the third-most capped Hawk in history and is one of just nine Hawthorn players to reach the 300-game milestone.
He also ranks seventh all time on the club’s goal-kicking leaderboard.
Luke Breust in action for the Hawks. via Getty Images
Hawthorn football manager Rob McCartney acknowledged the unfortunate ending to Breust’s career, but emphasised his legacy as one of the club’s greatest players.
“Despite the abrupt and unfortunate ending, Luke should be enormously proud of committing himself completely across his incredible career, on and off the field, right up until his final moment,” he said in a statement.
“Having played his 308th game in the brown and gold just a few weeks ago, Luke’s legacy as one of our club’s true greats has been etched into the history books, sitting behind only Michael Tuck and Leigh Matthews for most games played at Hawthorn.
“The club will be there to support Luke through every stage of his rehabilitation, just as Luke has been there to support so many others during his time in the brown and gold.”
Breust, the club’s vice-captain, played eight senior games this season.
After last featuring in round 24 of the AFL season, Breust was dropped to the VFL for the start of the finals series to make way for the return of Josh Weddle.
Breust scored an early goal against the Bulldogs, but the Hawks ultimately lost the preliminary final by 31 points.