Fremantle’s co-vice-captain Áine Tighe will miss the remainder of the 2024 NAB AFLW Season, after scans revealed the Irish national has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in her right knee.
The injury occurred in the opening minutes of the first quarter in Saturday’s clash against Melbourne at Fremantle Oval, as Tighe went to change direction.
Having previously injured her ACL in her left knee twice before, this is Tighe’s third ACL injury.
Fremantle Head of AFLW Claire Heffernan said the Club will be with Tighe every step of the way throughout her rehabilitation.
“We are all devastated for Áine. She is an incredibly important player and leader in our team and will be sorely missed on the field for the remainder of the 2024 season,” Heffernan said.
“We have no doubt Áine will use every ounce of her determination to attack her rehabilitation with gusto.
“We as a Club will be steadfast in our support of her and will go above and beyond to make sure she has everything she needs to heal and repair from this injury.”
Senior Coach Lisa Webb praised Tighe in her post-match media conference after Saturday’s game, crediting the co-vice-captain’s leadership.
“She honestly is incredible. She was up on the bench really early after she got ruled out of the game,” Webb said.
“She’s so good at staying on task. She’s a great leader and she’s very focused on what she wants for this team.”
Tighe’s injury timeline will be confirmed post-surgery.
