Richmond young gun Josh Gibcus is officially out for the rest of the AFL season after scans confirmed he suffered a ruptured right ACL on Thursday night.
The 20-year-old defender went down in the second quarter of the Tigers’ loss to Carlton, a bitter blow after his 2023 campaign was cruelled entirely by hamstring troubles in the same leg.
He will soon undergo surgery and prepare for a long rehabilitation period — supported not just by the club but his mother.
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Mum rushed down to Melbourne to be with her son and help him through the early stages of the injury.
“It was really good of her to come over,” Gibcus said after undergoing scans on Friday morning.
“I didn’t really expect her to be over here this early. It’s good to have her over here.”
Gibcus said the injury is “a bit disappointing after last year” but, given that experience, he was immediately taking a positive view.
“I’m surrounded by good people at the club and obviously my family and my partner. I’m pretty good at the moment,” he said.
The former No.9 draft pick offered a view into the Tigers’ next decade when he played 18 games in his debut 2022 season.
He re-signed late that year until the end of 2025, that security now offering him a slice of comfort as he reckons with another stint on the sidelines.
“We are all incredibly disappointed for Josh. It is horrible luck after what he has already encountered on the injury front in his short career,” Richmond football boss Tim Livingstone said.
“Josh battled through last year with his head up and had put in a mountain of work to get himself back to full fitness for this season.
“We view Josh as a long-term player for us and an important part of our future, so we will give him all the support he needs and help him throughout his road to returning in 2025.
“He is still so young and has a lot of football ahead of him after this setback. We know the character and professional he is, that he will attack his rehab first-class and return stronger.”
Gibcus told reporters he went into scans with a “fear the worst” attitude given the early diagnosis.
He said teammates had continued to reach out to him after leaving the MCG.
“I’ve got a few messages from them last night and this morning,” he said.
“It’s good they have my back and they’ll support me.”