Geelong Cats have placed defender Georgie Rankin on the Club’s inactive list ahead of the 2026 AFLW season.
Rankin recently suffered a carotid artery dissection after receiving an accidental elbow to the neck during a training session.
Following assessment from the Club doctor, Rankin was sent to emergency for scans which revealed a small tear to part of the arterial wall.
Due to the injury, Rankin has been ruled out of the upcoming AFLW season.
Geelong Cats General Manager AFLW Dr Dom Condo said the Club’s priority is supporting Georgie through her recovery.
“It's incredibly disappointing that Georgie will miss the season. Our priority is Georgie's health and wellbeing, and as a Club we are committed to supporting her throughout her recovery and ensuring she returns to full health.
"I want to acknowledge the work of our medical team, whose thorough assessment ensured Georgie received prompt and specialist care.
"While Georgie won't take to the field this season, she'll remain an important part of our program and will stay connected to the group as she continues her recovery,” Condo said.
The Cats will begin the process of adding a replacement player to its AFLW list ahead of Round 1.
