Gold Coast forward Sam Day likely to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery

[Ulquiorra]

SAM Day’s inspirational comeback season is set to end prematurely, with the key forward facing shoulder surgery.

Day has been the feel-good story of the Suns this season after returning from a year out of the game due to a dislocated hip suffered in the JLT Series last year.

So severe was the force of the dislocation, a chunk of bone from the hip casing cracked off as the leg was driven through the socket.

There were fears he would not play again, but he has been a regular all season, missing just one game due to suspension, the Round 9 loss to Port Adelaide in China, before injury struck against Hawthorn in Launceston.

Day will consult with renowned surgeon Greg Hoy, the man who rebuilt Gary Ablett’s shoulder and this year operated on Pearce Hanley, in Melbourne on Monday.

The Suns say while it is too soon to write off his season and there remains a slim chance he could postpone the operation until the off-season, they are expecting him to go under the knife immediately.

Day was walking around training this week without the sling he has worn since suffering the injury, but Suns football manager Jon Haines said the club did not hold great hopes he could return to the field this year after a period of rest.

The Suns attempted to postpone Hanley’s surgery after he dislocated his shoulder in the pre-season but he popped it out of the joint in his first game back.

Haines said Hoy had yet to consult with Day in person but had seen scans, with the initial belief he would require an operation.

“It is looking like a pretty serious injury,’’ he said.

“We can’t really say for sure (that his season is over) until he consults the surgeon on Monday, but he may even go straight in and get it done then.’’

The Suns take on North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

They kicked off the season with a gutsy win over the Kangaroos in heavy rain in Cairns but are a shadow of the side they were over the first month.

While the Kangaroos are only outside the top eight due to percentage, the Suns have not won since the QClash in Round 5.

Second year player and No.4 draft pick Ben Ainsworth, who has taken a major stride in his career this season, has been rested.

“He’s had a big load for a second-year player and we felt it was in his best interest to manage him this week and try to freshen him up for a strong finish to the season,’’ Haines said.

Callum Ah Chee returns after missing last week to visit an ill relative back in Western Australia.