GOLD Coast forward Charlie Dixon looks set to miss a few weeks after injuring his ankle in the opening minute of Saturday's loss to the Western Bulldogs, while Bulldog Koby Stevens also appears set for a stint on the sidelines after being taken to hospital with a bruised lung.
Bulldogs' 10-goal final term sinks tiring Suns
The Suns' fade-out 22-point loss to the Bulldogs at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns was also compounded by injuries to David Swallow (left knee), Michael Rischitelli (thigh) and Aaron Hall (groin) that puts all three in doubt for next Saturday's clash against Greater Western Sydney.
Suns coach Rodney Eade told reporters that Dixon had been injured in the first contest of the game and would miss at least one game but probably more.
"He was able to play nearly to quarter-time (before being subbed) but his ankle's really blown up so he certainly won't play next week," Eade said.
"We'll have to get it scanned and see where that's at, but hopefully it's nothing too serious.
"But you imagine the way it's blown up it will be a few weeks."
Stevens was substituted out of Saturday's game in the second quarter after copping a heavy knock to the ribs, and was taken to hospital for assessment soon afterwards.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said Stevens had suffered a bruised lung.
"We don't know any more than that, so I can't really give you any indication of how bad it is," Beveridge said.
"But we hope he's OK."
Swallow left the field early in the second term with a knee injury. He returned to play out the game but was clearly restricted.
"David Swallow hurt his knee again, so hopefully he's right next week, but he really battled," Eade said.
Eade said Rischitelli had overcome a corked thigh to play on Saturday, but had suffered a further knock to it that had bled into his knee.
"We probably would have subbed him and maybe even David, but we just had to put them out there," he said.
"Even Aaron Hall struggled a bit with a groin towards the end."
Charlie Dixon was subbed out of the game after suffering an ankle injury in the first term. #AFLDogsSuns http://t.co/SraEvFQ4TE
— AFL (@AFL) July 11, 2015