For the meantime the pair are being aided by crutches after, firstly, Will suffered a leg fracture, which was followed seven days later by Nathan enduring a season-ending knee injury.

Bendigo Pioneer-listed Will fractured his tibia while playing for Wedderburn in the final quarter against Charlton in the North Central league on May 26.

The injury is expected to keep Will sidelined for a minimum of six weeks, while the diagnosis for Golden Square’s Nathan is worse after he was stretchered off in the first quarter of last week’s defeat to Strathfieldsaye when injured in a marking contest.

Also involved in the marking contest was the Storm’s star forward Lachlan Sharp, who in an almost identical position on the ground at Wade Street two years earlier also suffered a season-ending knee injury.

“It was one of those things where as soon as I felt the contact it was like time stood still… I knew I was in strife before I felt any pain,” Nathan said this week.

“I heard a crunch, crunch, pop and thought I had initially broken my leg, but when I looked down everything seemed intact and I then knew that I had done my knee.”

Nathan – who hasn’t missed a game through injury since 2013 – won’t require a reconstruction, but the damage sustained is serious enough to deep the Bulldogs’ defender out for the remainder of the season.

“I’ve ruptured my medial, sprained by ACL and PCL, completely torn my meniscus and fractured the top of the tibia,” Nathan said.

“While I won’t need a reconstruction, there’s a lot going on with it and it’s still going to require surgery.

“Both being injured together at the same time, we’re probably going to be good motivators for each other to get through the rehab… injuries come with the territory unfortunately.”

Nathan – who played in three premierships in his first three years of senior footy at Wedderburn in 2012, ’13 and ’14 – is in his first year with Golden Square and wasted no time in proving a valuable addition to the back half.

“I’ve really enjoyed my footy this year and felt like I’ve been playing some consistent footy and now my season is over, so that’s obviously a tough pill to swallow,” Nathan said.

“But I’ve just got to work hard now to get back for next year.”

Will’s latest setback continues a frustrating run for the 18-year-old forward, who was forced to sit out all of last season with a dislocated shoulder.

“There’s no point dwelling on what has happened… it’s part of footy,” Will said.

In his first game back with the Pioneers in round one this year he kicked five goals in a one-point win over the Greater Western Victoria Rebels – the team’s only victory in the TAC Cup season so far.

With his match-winning haul that day, Will joined Kayle Kirby – now on Collingwood’s list – as the only Pioneers’ players to kick at least five goals in a TAC Cup game since 2013.

“I guess that’s the most disappointing part with this injury having been in a bit of form, so, hopefully, I can play a few games again later in the season and finish off well,” Will said.