Western Bulldogs star and son of club great Luke Darcy has been sidelined with a rare and bizarre lung condition that has left him struggling to breathe properly
- Sam Darcy, 19, diagnosed with a rare lung condition
- Utility is the son of Western Bulldog’s great Luke Darcy
- Small hole in lung attached, return date unknown
Sam Darcy, the rising star of the Western Bulldogs, has been sidelined indefinitely with a rare lung condition.
The 19-year-old son of Bulldogs great Luke Darcy has been suffering from shortness of breath for the past week and subsequent scans revealed the victim has a small hole in one of his lungs.
“Sam reported the insidious onset of shortness of breath,” Chris Bell, Bulldogs chief of sports medicine, told me 7 News.
“Scans confirmed that he is suffering from a small hole in the lung that has caused some air to leak into the space between the lung and the chest wall.
Western Bulldogs rising star Sam Darcy will be sidelined indefinitely with a rare lung condition (pictured, playing in the VFL)
Sam Darcy was called up in 2021 and has made six senior appearances for the Bulldogs (pictured, with his father and club great Luke Darcy)
“This happened spontaneously and is non-traumatic, which is unusual.”
Bell confirmed the AFL club has since consulted a number of specialists and expects Darcy’s lung to “heal and improve with conservative management and time.”
The young gun played in the first two AFL games of the season, but was then sent back to the VFL to work on his game.
Amid much hype ahead of the teen’s debut last year, his father said a measured approach was key to getting the best out of his son.
“It’s great to see him fit and healthy, doing what he loves,” he said.
“If you play week in, week out, you build confidence.
“He plays in a great environment and seems to enjoy every moment. It’s a privilege to play sports for a living, and he loves it.”
The Bulldogs are in seventh place on the AFL ladder after eight rounds and take on Carlton at Marvel Stadium this Saturday.