Melbourne defender Jake Lever will miss up to a month of footy, not only after suffering a concussion against West Coast on Sunday, but with a nagging knee injury as well.
The AFL star was subbed out of the Demons’ clash with the Eagles on Sunday after copping an errant knee to the head from Jack Darling.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Jake Lever to miss up to a month with secret knee injury.
Stream analysis, local footy and the biggest moments free on 7plus 
It means he has to enter the AFL’s concussion protocols for the next 12 days, which rules him out of Melbourne’s Round 11 match-up with St Kilda next week.
But 7NEWS can reveal Lever was already battling a secret knee injury which will keep him out for up to the next month.
In addition to the St Kilda game next week, Lever will miss crucial clashes against Fremantle and then Collingwood on the King’s Birthday weekend, before the Dees’ bye in Round 14.
The 2021 All-Australian will undergo surgery in an attempt to rectify the knee complaint once and for all, having quietly battled it in the early stages of the season.
He was pictured walking through Melbourne Airport on Monday with crutches in hand.
Elsewhere at Essendon, scans have revealed a minor calf strain for Darcy Parish.
The midfielder was a late omission from Sunday’s clash against North Melbourne after waking up strangely sore.
Scans on Monday confirmed the damage, which is likely to keep him out for the next three games, which means he won’t be back until after the Bombers’ Round 14 bye.
“After missing the first couple of games of the season, Darcy’s season was building nicely, and he’d been playing some terrific football for us in recent weeks, so this latest setback, although relatively minor, is frustrating,” Bombers general manager of footy Daniel McPherson said.
“Given Darcy’s importance to our team, we’ll use the next few weeks, plus the mid-season bye week, to ensure he is in great shape heading into the second half of the season.”
