St Kilda star Brendon Goddard has been stretchered off the field with a suspected neck injury in his club's AFL match against Fremantle.

Goddard crumpled to the ground and rattled his legs in pain after receiving a hip to the side of the face from teammate Zac Dawson in a first-quarter marking contest.

Umpire Dean Margetts immediately stopped play once he saw Goddard's distress, with the St Kilda trainers rushing to his aid.

Goddard was put in a neck brace and stretchered off the field.

The 26-year-old, who was the leading possession winner at the time with 10 disposals, gave the crowd the thumbs up when he left the field.

Initial word was he has suffered a neck injury.

Should Goddard be ruled out for any length of time it will be a massive blow to the Saints, who have already lost prime midfielder Lenny Hayes for the season with a knee injury.

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