Melbourne’s barnstorming start to the AFLW season has hit a speed bump after scans confirmed star midfielder Olivia Purcell has torn her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The premiership player and two-time All Australian’s season is over after hurting her left knee in the Demons’ Round 2 thrashing of St Kilda.

Purcell’s left knee gave way in a twisting motion as she tried to lay a tackle on Saints midfielder Georgia Patrikios.

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The star on-baller has been electric across the opening two rounds to help fire Melbourne to the top of the table with a monster 520.7 percentage.

Purcell had hit the ground running in their opening win over the Western Bulldogs, finishing with a goal, 34 disposals and eight clearances.

She had 19 touches before hurting her knee against the Saints.

It is the 24-year-old’s second ACL tear after undergoing a right knee reconstruction in early 2021, while playing for Geelong.

Purcell also missed most of last season with shocking facial injuries.

“This is obviously incredibly disappointing for Liv. She put a mountain of work into her footy over the pre-season, and we all got a glimpse of the impact she was set to have in the opening rounds,” Demons women’s football boss Clare Pettyfor said in a statement.

“Liv has had her fair share of injury concerns in recent years, which makes this news even tougher to take.

“She is as resilient as they come though, and we know she will tackle this next challenge with the utmost professionalism.”

The Demons are hopeful fellow midfielder Blaithin Mackin will return after the Irishwoman injured her medial collateral ligament in the same game as Purcell.

Melbourne are confident Mackin won’t need surgery but are yet to ascertain a timeline on her return.

Essendon’s Sophie Van De Heuvel will also miss the remainder season with a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury.

The defender hurt her left knee after she was chased down in a tackle during the second quarter of the Bombers’ five-point win over West Coast.

Van De Heuvel had suffered a PCL strain in 2024 in the opposite knee.