Brown was rushed to hospital for scans on his face after crashing into a pack at pre-season training, fracturing his cheekbone. It came after two major facial surgeries in the previous season and sent a shudder through the Lions' camp when he was struck by an oncoming teammate in a competitive drill. It didn't derail Brown's season too much, however, with the Lions skipper playing 20 games and kicking 47 goals. - Callum Twomey

The 2003 No.2 draft pick had made steady progress in his first four seasons with Carlton before suffering a shoulder injury in the Blues' final practice match before the 2008 season. After having reconstructive surgery, he returned to play the Blues' final seven games of the year. But his career was again disrupted the following pre-season when he suffered another shoulder injury that sidelined him for all but six games. Understandably, Walker had an inconsistent year in 2010 as he regained confidence in his body. But he enjoyed a breakthrough season the following year, kicking 56.27 in a new role in attack. If not for his shoulder injuries, you suspect Walker would have delivered on his potential far sooner. - Nick Bowen

The Essendon defender suffered a shocking injury in a February practice game when teammate Michael Quinn fell across his leg. He broke the fibula bone in his leg, dislocated his ankle and suffered ligament damage. It robbed the Bombers of an important player, with Welsh at the peak of his determined career at that stage. He returned to the Bombers' line-up in round 12 and finished playing 11 matches in 2009, but the injury continued to plague his career and was ultimately responsible for his retirement in 2011. - Callum Twomey

Morabito's story is one of the most unfortunate in the AFL. After a brilliant debut season in 2010 when he played 23 matches, including two finals, Morabito suffered an ACL rupture in his left knee during the 2011 pre-season and missed the entire year. He returned in 2012 and played eight matches in the WAFL for Peel Thunder before suffering another ACL rupture in July of 2012, requiring a second reconstruction. The cruelest blow came in January of 2013 when back in full training. Morabito attempted to tackle a teammate when his ACL popped for a third time. He decided to have LARS surgery and returned to training in 2013 but did not play. He is currently training with the main group on occasions but it is still unknown when or if he will return to AFL ranks in 2014. - Alex Malcolm

Desperately unlucky Geelong forward Daniel Menzel has had four knee reconstructions throughout his career. Three of them have been traditional operations, while Menzel decided to undergo LARS surgery in the 2012 pre-season. The young Cat had been progressing well in his attempt at a second comeback, only to injure himself in a tackling drill at training. At the time, the Cats decided not to disclose the surgery and it only came to light in January the following year. Menzel has shown incredible fortitude in his rehabilitation processes and he is hoping to return from his fourth knee injury at the mid-way point of this year. - Ben Guthrie

The long-term ramifications of this are not yet known and the impact for May himself may not be severe. However, the incident itself is one the most significant pre-season injuries in the Gold Coast's short history because it led to the sacking of a senior player in Campbell Brown.  The incident occurred at an LA nightclub after the Suns' pre-season training camp in Arizona. Hawthorn player Josh Gibson was reportedly present and pop-star Rihanna was also reported to be at the venue. Brown punched May and broke his jaw after a verbal altercation. May subsequently required surgery and Brown was sacked following an investigation into the incident, thus ending the Hawthorn premiership player's 205-game career. - Alex Malcolm

Chad Cornes impressed everyone by coming out of retirement and playing 16 strong games for Greater Western Sydney in its debut season of 2012. But heading into his second year, he suffered a pre-season setback that would ultimately end his career. Trying to find the cause of his knee problems, doctors found a cyst on his right knee and decided to operate, originally ruling him out for 10 weeks of the pre-season. But he had another setback when the knee became infected in February and in July he finally gave up his quest to get back on the park and settled into retirement. - James Dampney

Hodge originally hurt his posterior cruciate ligament against St Kilda in round six, 2011, but it wasn't until October that year that he went in for stabilisation surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery largely destabilised Hodge's 2012 campaign. After a delayed start to pre-season, he managed just 10 games and never really got going, missing 14 of the first 16 games before a better run at the end of the year. Hodge then missed the Hawks' preliminary final victory over Adelaide because of illness. He returned for the Grand Final loss against the Swans, but was well below his best. - Andrew Lowther

The ruckman finished the 2010 season with Achilles soreness, which the Roos initially thought would improve with rest. However, McIntosh was eventually forced to have surgery on his right Achilles in mid-January 2011 and on his left Achilles two months later. McIntosh returned in the second half of the season with North's VFL affiliate Werribee, but the AFL's introduction of the substitute rule that year made it hard for him to earn a senior recall. With teams' interchange benches reduced from four players to three players and a substitute, North was one of several teams reluctant to play two ruckmen. With Todd Goldstein shouldering the Roos' ruck load admirably, McIntosh played seven VFL games before earning a recall for the final game of season. North tried to fit McIntosh and Goldstein into its team at the start of 2012 with mixed success. But after McIntosh suffered a season-ending injury in round seven, the two never played together again, with McIntosh traded to Geelong at the end of the season. - Nick Bowen

After proving a shining light in the Power's ordinary premiership defence the year before, the significant injury to Tredrea on the eve of the 2006 season ensured the going got a whole lot tougher for the 2004 premiers. As the club's best player and captain, Tredrea's absence was sorely missed as the Power limped to a 12th-placed finish. Tredrea returned to the side in round four of the season but was a shadow of his best in his 11 appearances, averaging less than 13 disposals, seven marks and two goals a game – all well down on his 2001-2005 output. It proved a lingering injury too - it took Tredrea the best part of three seasons to return to full fitness, when he booted 51 goals to claim a fourth John Cahill Medal as club champion.  - Harry Thring

The future Richmond captain didn't have the best run when he first started his career. After being selected with pick No.2 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, he went about rehabilitating the fractured ankle he suffered in the TAC Cup finals. Then, his achilles became inflamed and his ankle continued to hurt, which meant he didn't debut until round eight in 2008. Then, the following summer, he was dogged by another bout of achilles soreness that again kept him from playing seniors until round eight. He had hip surgery late in 2009 but was able to start the 2010 season on time and played 17 games that year. In the past three years, he's missed one game and has put those problems behind him, but one wonders how quickly he could have become as good as he is now had he had those formative pre-seasons under his belt. - Jennifer Phelan

 

The St Kilda defender battled throughout the 2012 season with the degenerative toe complaint, which was operated on at the end of the season when the club decided to put him out to pasture after round 21. Then, he needed more surgery in the middle of 2013 after the injury flared up in March. He had the operation after his last game in round 10 and missed the rest of the season. His absence, coupled with injuries to Sam Gilbert and James Gwilt, and with Sean Dempster playing under duress, meant the Saints' backline was undermanned for much of the season. The recruitment of Josh Bruce and Luke Delaney will help the Saints in increasing backline depth in 2014, which is something they've dearly needed.  - Jennifer Phelan

 

Naitanui was the standout ruckman of the competition in 2012 and was named All Australian for the first time. However, the star Eagle went under the knife in November 2012, forcing him to miss all of the club's pre-season. Naitanui did not return to play until round six after a limited preparation. The 23-year-old played 11 games for the season but most of them were under significant duress. Naitanui was rested after the round 17 loss to the Sydney Swans and did not return. Dean Cox shouldered a heavy burden in the ruck in Naitanui's absence, playing all 22 games. The Eagles were still a dominant force in hit-outs and clearances but Naitanui's x-factor around the ground was sorely missed as the Eagles slumped to 13th on the ladder by season's end. New Eagles coach Adam Simpson will be hoping his star can reclaim his 2012 form this year but Naitanui is still being carefully managed throughout this pre-season. - Alex Malcolm