LEADER Jack Viney will miss the next three to four matches after suffering a fractured knucklebone during Melbourne’s 45-point loss to Port Adelaide at TIO Traeger Park Oval on Saturday.

General manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said Viney had scans on his hand on Monday.   

“Early in the first quarter on the weekend, Jack injured his hand and scans today (Monday) have shown he has a fracture in his knucklebone,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“This requires surgery and he will be having surgery this afternoon.  

“At this stage we expect him to miss approximately three to four weeks of football.”

Viney has been one of the competition’s best players this season – he entered round 10 sixth on the leaderboard in the AFLCA votes – and has taken his game to another level in 2016.

The 22-year-old, who finished runner-up to Bernie Vince in last year’s best and fairest, has played 59 matches since making his AFL debut against Port Adelaide at the MCG in round one, 2013.

He won a NAB AFL Rising Star in round 21, 2013.

Meanwhile, Viney has been offered a one-match sanction with an early plea, after he was charged by the match review panel on Monday for striking Port Adelaide’s Brad Ebert during the first quarter Saturday’s 45-point loss to the Power at TIO Traeger Park Oval.