Charlie Curnow is set to miss the start of the AFL season after undergoing a minor procedure to remove a screw from his knee.
The 28-year-old forward has endured a career plagued by knee injuries, managing just 15 games between 2019 and 2022. However, his return to form was remarkable, securing Coleman Medals in 2022 and 2023, and leading the goal tally for much of 2024 before an ankle issue prematurely ended his season.
Veteran sports doctor Peter Larkins provided insight into why Curnow had a screw in his knee initially and the reasoning behind its recent removal.
“I feel like I do an annual report on Charlie’s knees since 2019 – this is the sixth year I’ve spoken about it,” Larkins told SEN’s Sportsday.
“I’ll put my hand up and say I got it wrong because in 2021, I really thought with his patella dislocations, patella surgeries, and a hamstring graft to stabilize the kneecap, he would struggle to play again.
“Then he went on to win two Coleman Medals. I had to eat my words on that one.
“In 2021, he missed 18 months of football due to cartilage damage behind his kneecap. Screws and holes were put in to hold the ligament in place, but when the structure failed, it had to be revised. The screw was there to secure the ligament and new tissue.”
Larkins also noted that Curnow underwent another procedure just eight weeks ago to clean up rough cartilage behind his kneecap, which had been reconstructed to prevent further dislocations.
“I’m surprised the screw wasn’t removed during that surgery,” he said. “They’re saying he’ll be right for Round 1, which is ambitious. Having an operation in February to remove a screw irritating the knee lining is just another setback.
“Back then, I said this was a career-altering, permanent injury. He’s had arthritis behind the kneecap, fractured it twice, and dislocated it. The screw was initially used to fixate the fractures and secure the ligament and hamstring graft.”
Despite Carlton’s optimism about Curnow’s availability for Round 1, Larkins believes this timeframe may be overly ambitious but not entirely unrealistic.
“Clubs always aim to be optimistic with injury timelines, but they’re more accurate now than they were in the past,” he said. “Realistically, for a procedure like this, you’d expect a four-to-six-week recovery. I don’t think Round 1 is realistic – he needs time to regain match fitness.
“Four weeks is a standard recovery from what he’s had done. That would see him just miss Round 2 against Hawthorn, while a six-week recovery would likely have him back for Gather Round against West Coast.”
Carlton opens its season in just 22 days, facing Richmond in the traditional Thursday night Round 1 clash. With Curnow’s recovery uncertain, Blues fans will be hoping for a speedy return from their star forward.
