GEELONG captain Patrick Dangerfield has suffered a partially collapsed lung and a cracked rib in a heavy knock in a marking contest during the Cats' 38-point loss to Port Adelaide.
Dangerfield, who was playing his first game since round eight after recovering from a hamstring injury, was collected by Dan Houston early in the second quarter and progressively seized up as he played out the match.
POWER v CATS Full match coverage and stats
The Brownlow medallist was taken to hospital in Adelaide after the game, before returning to the team hotel on Thursday night. The Cats revealed the extent of the damage on Friday morning.
Dangerfield will return to Melbourne by car on Friday and his return to play will be assessed as his recovery progresses.
The Cats face Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium in a season-shaping clash next Thursday night.
"He got that knock and then he progressively seized up more and more to the point where, he's a warrior, but it didn't look to us like he could move," Geelong coach Chris Scott said on Thursday night.
"He kept trying, but it was clear he just couldn't have an impact on the game from pretty early in the second quarter.
"Our medical staff are brilliant and they will be providing the best care possible."
Dangerfield finished Thursday night's match with 15 disposals and a goal, playing 66 per cent game time as his power and ability to be damaging with the ball faded under duress.
The Cats also confirmed midfield recruit Tanner Bruhn, who was substituted in the third quarter, had suffered an AC joint injury in the second quarter and would be assessed.
Ruckman Jon Ceglar, meanwhile, was withdrawn pre-game because of an adductor strain, leaving the Cats without a genuine ruckman as their midfield was comprehensively beaten.
"It was a domination in terms of metres gained from the stoppages and it wasn't just the second half, it was really the last three quarters," Scott said after the game.
"Danger was basically incapacitated from early in the second quarter and we just got thin again.
"I thought the guys fought in there, but Port have got some serious talent in there and when you throw in a big ruckman as well that makes it difficult.
"It's not impossible, as we saw in the first half, but their work around the ball and the service they gave their players in the forward half was just a bit too much for us."
Scott lamented the Cats' inability to prevent opposition scores after conceding a run of seven unanswered goals during the third quarter, with cohesion an issue for the reigning premiers after a string of injuries.
Power coach Ken Hinkley said the key to his team's performance was its ability to build pressure through the third quarter, resulting in an emphatic statement from the ladder leaders.
He said the team's expectations in the second half of the season would not change as a result of the club record 11-game winning streak, which has the Power poised for a flag tilt.
"The goals are the same as they were at the start of the season. The run that we're on helps, but it doesn't do anything just now," he said.
"Our goal at the start of the year was the same as it is today – try and win the premiership, that's what we always try and do, but first of all we have to qualify and finish as high as we can.
"Sometimes it builds more pressure in some ways, you're going well so you need to keep going well … but I'm happy to keep banking wins if we can."
