Luckless Docker Alex Pearce was left in tears after limping off the MCG in a worrying sign for the star defender.

Pearce was subbed out of the match just minutes in to the second term against Melbourne after his leg twisted awkwardly when teammate Nat Fyfe stepped on his foot.

Fyfe immediately checked on his teammate who got to his feet unassisted.

But Pearce then went straight up the rooms after struggling to run.

The Dockers later confirmed Pearce had suffered a knee injury and would not return for the match.

He joined the team for the three-quarter time huddle dressed in a club tracksuit while wearing a knee brace.

“Hopefully it’s a medial ligament,” commentator Jonathon Brown said.

“Pearce doesn’t look good,” boundary commentator Nick Dal Santo added.

“He can’t run, he’s just limping.

“Hobbling severely.

“That doesn’t look good; that’s lower left leg.”

Pearce had been playing forward in the absence of star Rory Lobb, big man Sean Darcy and new recruit Josh Treacy.

The match was Pearce’s first since round 11, 2019 after a horror injury run.

Pearce has overcome two broken legs in recent years, playing just eight games in 2016 before missing all of 2017 and later all of 2020.

Stefan Giro was activated as Pearce’s medical replacement, but the Dockers then went a further man down when Connor Blakely came from the ground bleeding.

Brennan Cox was also attended to by Dockers medical staff for an adductor issue before half-time.

Both Cox and Blakely were able to return to the field.