The resilient 18-year-old from Rocherlea had to be stretchered from the ground midway through the final quarter at Whitten Oval in her side’s victory over Fremantle.

Television commentators initially feared an innocuous shoulder to the head forced Bannister out of the game.

“That doesn’t look good for young Daria Bannister and it looks to in a fair bit of agony, but fingers crossed,” former St Kilda gun Leigh Montagna said during the coverage.

“As she goes to ground, it might have been a richoted shoulder to the cheekbone.”

But scans on Monday afternoon were expected to reveal a season-interrupting leg injury from the fall that could keep the Launceston TSLW star out for weeks in a sad start to her AFLW career. 

Bannister ran out as the first-ever female from Launceston – and the fourth Tasmanian – to play in the second year of the AFLW.

The netball convert, who only switched to women’s football last year, showed she belonged in a game filled with good forward pressure.

She racked up five disposals, grabbed three marks and put on three tackles while having a hand in a Dogs’ goal.

Bulldogs coach Paul Groves was concerned for one of his three first-gamers after the match. 

“I didn’t see it on the field and I haven’t got a full report,” he said on Sunday night.

“She was in our meeting room on crutches afterwards and she had a knee brace on.

“So there’s something with the knee there.

“We’re obviously hoping for the best with that one.

“She was very intrical in the game as well as being that little buzzing small forward.

“Let’s just wait for all the scans and give it time.”