YOUNG Gold Coast defender Wil Powell has suffered a serious hamstring injury, putting him in doubt for the start of the season.
Powell was preparing to take part in his first match simulation session of the pre-season last week when the incident occurred.
Scans revealed a grade three tear, which will sideline the 23-year-old for six weeks.
Gold Coast football manager Wayne Campbell told AFL.com.au the Suns would not be rushing Powell for the season opener against Sydney on March 18, although he was still a chance to be back to full fitness by then.
"It's a fairly substantial one," Campbell said.
"We all have a fascination with round one, and we understand that, but that's not the goal."
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Powell was an active member of the Suns' five-day pre-season training camp on the Sunshine Coast that finished on Thursday, but was kept out of running and football drills, instead topping up his fitness on a wattbike and with swimming.
It's a frustrating setback for energetic West Australian, who was training strongly following a gruesome dislocated and fractured ankle that halted his 2022 season in round 14.
The news is better for Ben King and Lachie Weller though, as both continue to storm back from ruptured anterior cruciate ligaments.
King is expected to play in Gold Coast's official practice match against Greater Western Sydney on March 4, while Weller – who suffered his injury last June – will be pushing for round one selection.
"The high-performance and medical guys would say he's come back as well as they've seen," Campbell said of Weller.
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"He's going really well. We're holding him back a bit, but he'll be (available) around the start of the season ... whenever he's right to go.
"If it takes four more weeks, it takes four more weeks, but if he's right to go, we'll play him.
"Round one is just another game; it's important, but we won't be racing to get them up for that. If they're ready to go, they'll play. If they're not, they'll play round two, three, four."
Weller and King are both expected to progress to full contact training, including match simulation, in coming weeks.
Defender Connor Budarick, who also ruptured his ACL last year, is on track for a return around the middle of 2023.
