A spate of car crash-type injuries have marred the weekend's AFL matches, with at least two players sidelined for the rest of the season.

In the worst incidents, Melbourne defender James Strauss broke his leg, while Gold Coast hardman Campbell Brown fractured his pelvis.

Youngster Strauss landed awkwardly in a first quarter marking contest during his side's big loss to Carlton at the MCG on Saturday.

He snapped both bones in his lower leg - his shattered limb bending at 45 degrees and drawing gasps of horror as the incident was replayed on the big screen at the ground.

It is a similar type of injury to the sickening leg breaks suffered by Fremantle's Michael Barlow last year, ex-Richmond player Nathan Brown and Brisbane defender Matt Maguire when he was at St Kilda.

Interim Melbourne coach Todd Viney said Strauss was operated on immediately after the injury to repair the shattered shinbone and fibula.

"He's had the operation, had a rod put in, but it's a bad break," Viney said on Sunday.

"He's a good young fella, we hope he makes a speedy recovery, but it was a scary injury."

Melbourne also had utility Luke Tapscott stretchered off in a neck brace after a heavy collision with teammate Stefan Martin.

Brown was cannoned into by Gold Coast teammate Rory Thompson as the Suns were slaughtered by Geelong at Skilled Stadium.

X-rays showed a clean break to his pelvis - an injury set to sideline him for several months and rob the Suns of a much-needed experienced player.

Showcasing the sometimes brutal nature of modern AFL were several other heavy weekend collisions - notably one at high-speed between Sydney midfielder Dan Hannebery and Essendon's Michael Hurley on Saturday night.

Hannebery was hammered by Hurley, then hit his head on the Etihad Stadium turf as he fell.

Remarkably Hannebery was able to return to the field soon after and was hugely influential as the Swans lost by one point in a thriller.

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