Luckless Fremantle midfielder Anthony Morabito has been ruled out for the rest of the season, but he’ll have the chance to salvage his AFL career next year after being handed a contract extension.
Morabito hasn’t played an AFL match since featuring in the club’s 2010 semi-final loss to Geelong, with three ACL injuries over the next two years putting his promising career in doubt.
The 190cm wingman underwent traditional knee reconstructions in the first two instances.
But when his troublesome left knee buckled again in January, Morabito opted for a hybrid version of the LARS procedure in a last-ditch bid to save his AFL career.
The hybrid graft incorporated the ligament augmentation and reconstruction system with part of Morabito’s own hamstring tendon.
Fremantle were initially keen to have Morabito return to WAFL ranks in the tail-end of this season.
But they have since shelved those plans, and are instead banking on the 21-year-old being available for round one next season after handing him a new one-year deal.
“It was agreed that it was in the best long-term interests of Anthony and his playing career that we continue with a conservative approach for his return to AFL ranks,” Football operations manager Chris Bond said.
“As a result, Anthony will have a short break before returning to the club and preparing for the 2014 pre-season.
“By taking this approach, we believe Anthony will be really well placed to hit the ground running on day one of the 2014 pre-season and be available for selection at the start of the 2014 AFL home and away season.”
Morabito showed enormous potential in his debut year of 2010, booting 13 goals across 23 games before being struck down by the first of his knee problems in December that year.
A fit and firing Morabito would be a huge asset to a Dockers midfield already brimming with talent.