Jamie Elliott stretchered off with left knee injury

Jamie Elliott was stretchered off late in Collingwood's game against West Coast after landing awkwardly on his left knee, leaving the 33-year-old forward facing a potentially serious injury. He had already helped swing momentum Collingwood's way earlier in the night, but the finish was about his knee and what it could mean for next season.

Elliott's late exit

Elliott took a mark inside 50 and came down badly on his left knee before being carried from the ground in visible pain. The incident happened late in the game, turning a strong individual night into a worrying finish for a player who has stayed central to Collingwood's late-game work this season.

He is contracted for next season, which makes the injury more than a one-night setback. If the damage proves to be an ACL injury, he would likely not return until the second half of next season, a timeline that would take one of Collingwood's most reliable finishers out for a long stretch.

Momentum before the injury

The injury came after Elliott had kicked two goals in a minute during the third quarter. That burst helped change the shape of the match and fed into Scott Pendlebury's record-breaking game, with Elliott again doing the sort of late-game work that has made him an integral part of Collingwood's attack.

He finished 2025 with 60 goals, a career-best return that underlined how productive he has been at 33. The problem now is the same one that has lingered over the incident since he left the field: if the knee damage is severe, Collingwood may have to plan for a long absence rather than a short recovery.

Collingwood's injury load

Elliott's exit added to a night already complicated by injuries for Collingwood. Darcy Moore left at half-time with a hamstring injury, and Will Hayes hurt his shoulder earlier in the fourth quarter, leaving the side to finish the game without three players who had already been part of the match flow.

For Collingwood, the immediate issue is Elliott's availability and the size of the loss if the knee injury is as serious as it looked. A player who kicked 60 goals this year and remains under contract next season is not easy to replace, especially if the recovery stretches deep into 2026.