Newcastle Jets striker Alexis Collins has been ruled out for the entire 2026/27 A-League Women season after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament in a pre-season friendly, the club confirmed on Wednesday.
The devastating blow ends the 18-year-old's campaign before it has even begun, with the academy graduate facing up to 12 months on the sidelines just as she was tipped for a breakthrough season in the Hunter.
A Season Gone Before It Started
The Jets revealed the news on Wednesday afternoon, confirming that Collins suffered the injury during a pre-season friendly as the squad stepped up preparations for the new campaign.
A ruptured ACL is the most feared injury in football, typically requiring surgery and a rehabilitation period of nine to 12 months. The confirmation means Collins, who had only just signed a new two-year deal in the off-season, will play no part in the upcoming season.
The timing is particularly cruel. The Newcastle local was earmarked for a more prominent role this term after climbing through the club's academy ranks and establishing herself in the senior squad.
Collins: "I've Joined a Very Long List of Women"
In an emotional statement posted on Instagram, Collins admitted her devastation at the setback while vowing to come back stronger.
"That's a wrap for me. Unfortunately i've joined a very long list of women who have ruptured their ACL. Something I never thought I would be a part of," she wrote.
"In a season that I had so much hope for I am so devastated to be missing out.
"These next few months are going to be difficult and confusing but I am going to give my all because I don't want to just get back to where I was, I want to be better.
"But for now i'm happy to be the girls number 1 fan."
Her reference to the "long list of women" speaks to one of football's most troubling trends. ACL ruptures remain far more common in the women's game than the men's, with factors including anatomy, training loads and pitch conditions all under the microscope as research into the issue intensifies. Manchester City midfielder Sam Coffey is the latest to face a spell out after withdrawing from the USWNT squad through injury.
A Rising Star Cut Down
Collins' story is one of the most heartening in Australian football. A Newcastle local who came through the Jets academy, she made her senior debut at just 16 in November 2024 against the Western Sydney Wanderers and has since made 21 senior appearances.
She also earned recognition at international level, being named in the Young Matildas squad for the U-20 Asian Cup alongside club teammates, and the Jets moved quickly in the off-season to tie her down to a new two-year contract.
Head coach Stephen Hoyle had been effusive about her potential when she re-signed, backing her to establish herself as one of the top strikers in the A-League. This season was supposed to be when she proved him right.
Jets' Season Opener Looms
The injury leaves a hole in Newcastle's attacking plans just 10 days before the new season kicks off. The Jets open their Ninja A-League Women campaign at home against Perth Glory on Saturday, October 17, and will now have to reshape their forward line without one of their brightest young talents.
It continues a grim week for ACL injuries across world football, with Ajax's Kasper Dolberg also ruled out for the season with a torn cruciate, while the sport's battle with knee injuries in the women's game shows no sign of abating.
Beyond the Final Whistle verdict: This is a heartbreaking setback for one of Australian football's brightest young talents. At 18, Alexis Collins has time on her side — but her words about the "long list of women" with ACL injuries carry a weight the sport can no longer ignore. How is your club tackling the ACL crisis in women's football?
