COLLINGWOOD's Adam Oxley received bittersweet news on Monday when the club confirmed he would be sidelined for up to six weeks after being injured in the club's intra-club practice match on Saturday.
Scans showed Oxley suffered a badly sprained right ankle, allaying initial fears the 21-year-old had fractured his foot in the incident.
It will be mean Oxley will miss the NAB Challenge series but he should be available for selection in round one.
"Really, it’s a good result," Collingwood director of football Rodney Eade told collingwoodfc.com.au.
"If Adam gets his rehab right after a very good pre-season there is no doubt he will be back playing before round one."
Oxley went down after clearing a contest on the wing and was carried from the ground and taken to hospital.
Selected as a rookie in 2013, Oxley impressed and managed to play two games during the season. He was elevated to the senior list this season and was a good chance to stake his claim during the NAB Challenge series.
He joins the Magpies' Paul Seedsman, who had a recent operation that will force him to miss the pre-season series, on the sidelines.
