Essendon Bombers midfielder Nic Martin will miss the full 2026 season after undergoing a follow-up surgery on his knee on Thursday.
Martin was set to miss most of next year after tearing his ACL in Round 18 against Richmond, but an innocuous slip at training earlier in November sparked fresh concerns for his recently reconstructed knee.
The 24-year-old then underwent scans, which confirmed damage to the knee.
It’s devastating timing for Martin, who had been “impressing in his recovery” from the major setback, but will now have to wait until 2027 to take to the football field again competitively.
However, the young star remained optimistic despite the brutal blow, confident the Bombers medical and high performance team can get him back to his 2024 best, where he averaged 28.3 disposals per game.
“It’s obviously a setback, but I have complete confidence in our medical and high performance team and our long-term plan for me,” Martin said to AFL Media.
“I’m feeling good post-surgery and I’m ready to take the time to build my knee back up and I know I’m in the best hands possible, and I’ll attack this rehab with everything I’ve got to come back stronger.”
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Martin has played 83 games for the Bombers since debuting in 2022.
Similarly to Martin, Nick Bryan, Lewis Hayes and Thomas Edwards are also returning from ACL surgeries at the Bombers over pre-season as the toll of the Bombers injury-riddled 2025 campaign continue to haunt them.
Essendon’s 2026 rookie class has already been dealt the injury bug too, with draft bolter sensation Sullivan Robey facing a limited start to his first AFL pre-season after sustaining a back injury earlier this week.
