COLLINGWOOD will decide if luckless defender Nathan Brown undergoes potentially season-ending shoulder surgery after suffering a repeat of his round-two dislocation on Saturday. 

Brown sustained the injury in the first quarter of the Magpies' eight-point win over West Coast at the MCG and was subbed out at quarter time. 
 
He was crunched as Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui crashed a pack late in the term and immediately ran from the MCG nursing his right arm.

He was then taken to hospital.


Coach Nathan Buckley said while Brown had carried a "far from clean shoulder" for most of his career, a decision would now have to be made on whether the premiership backman went under the knife. 

"We need to let the dust settle on that, but clearly it is unfortunate for 'Browny' - we need to give him time to let it heal and then work out what we are going to do from here," Buckley said. 

"Any time you dislocate your shoulder you are potentially looking at [surgery].

"He got through the 2010 season with a dislocated shoulder early in the year and then was able to play the year out; it is just a matter of understanding the damage and then making decisions based on the facts."

It was Brown's first game back since suffering the same injury in round two against the Sydney Swans.

Nathan Brown (left) dislocates his right shoulder in a contest with West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui. Picture: Lachlan Cunningham, AFL Media
Clinton Young was injected into the game to replace the 195cm backman as West Coast took a 5.2 (32) to 5.0 (30) lead into the second term.

Collingwood's backline was depleted further when Jack Frost was concussed in the third quarter and was helped from the field. 

While Brown will likely be replaced by Lachie Keeffe, who was solid in the VFL on Saturday, for Friday night's clash with St Kilda, Frost remains in doubt. 

The 22-year-old didn't play after half-time after being knocked in the head shortly before the break. 

He was still lieing down directly after the match with the six-day break likely to test his recuperative powers. 

"He has headaches, he has normal concussion symptoms," Buckley said.

"I don’t think it was a massive knock but once again you just need to get it in the wrong spot and we will see how he comes up during the week."

Brown played three VFL games before his senior recall and had performed strongly on the track as he worked his way back from the initial injury. 

Nick Maxwell was optimistic it wasn't season over for his fellow defender, and backed him to do all he could to play again this year.  

"I'm shattered for him because he worked so hard to get back from the first one," Maxwell told AFL.com.au. 

"He's really important and well loved around the club, and I'm sure he'll do everything right and hopefully he'll be back before finals if it is that serious."