AFL Finals 2024: Brisbane Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney dislocates shoulder

Brisbane Lions ruckman Oscar McInerney is battling a grisly injury after dislocating his shoulder in the first term of the preliminary final.

Amid the Lion’s hot start against Geelong, McInerney, affectionately known as the ‘The Big O’ by fans, was left distraught after his shoulder popped during an attempted tackle.

The Lions dominated the centre clearance battle as McInerney and Rhys Stanley battled to win taps.

But just as Brisbane looked like opening a significant margin, disaster struck on the broadcast wing.

The ball was brought to ground after a throw-up up with McInerney forced to turn rover.

He was beaten to the ball, so instead, he tried to lay a tackle.

But as his body weight moved towards the ground, his shoulder hooked around his opponent and visably popped out of the socket.

The big man was in visible distress as the trainer rushed to his aid, gasping for breath amid the pain.

He was instantly taken into the rooms for treatment and had not returned at the first break.

It left forward Joe Daniher as the Lions makeshift ruckman.

It could have been a monster blow for last season’s runner-ups, with McInerney having had 796 hit-outs this season while Daniher, while next best, only has 48.

However, he returned at the start of the second quarter with the shoulder strapped.

The first 68 kicks of Saturday’s preliminary final failed to produce a goal, but a six-minute flurry saw the Cats and Lions kick one each before the Lions added two more from brilliant, flashing clearances.