Greater Western Sydney veteran Callan Ward may have been played his last AFL game after suffering a knee injury in the opening minutes of Saturday’s clash against Richmond.

Ward contested a mark on the outer wing with Hugo Ralphsmith, but the ball spilled and the Tiger gathered the ball as Ward attempted to lay and tackle.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ward in tears after devastating injury.

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But as Ralphsmith shrugged the tackle, Ward’s right knee buckled and he went down in a heap.

The game was stopped by the umpires as medical staff attended to Ward. The 35-year-old was in obvious discomfort as trainers tested out his knee.

He was able to get to his feet and slowly come from the field, but was quickly subbed out a short-time later.

Ward signed a one-year deal for 2025 and is living apart from his wife and three young children, who are in Melbourne, as he tries to win an elusive premiership.

“Hopefully it isn’t the last time we see Callan Ward on a football field,” St Kilda great Leigh Montagna said as Ward left the field of play.

Ward was spotted on the interchange bench in tears as teammate Lachie Whitfield came over to support the much-loved player.

“Very emotional scenes down here ... I think he knows,” Fox Footy commentator Cam Mooney said.

“He’s pretty devastated down here at the moment. His family has already moved back to Melbourne so I think this was going to be Ward’s last year.

“Hopefully this isn’t the way he goes out.”

Ward then waved to the crowd as he disappeared down the race to a standing ovation.

If an ACL tear is confirmed, it will be the second of his career after suffering the same injury in 2019. It will almost certainly end his AFL career as well.

Coach Adam Kingsley was asked about the injury at quarter-time, but didn’t have much to add.

“I haven’t spoken to him yet, but it looks like a knee so that’s really disappointing,” he said on Fox Footy.

After shaking off the disappointment of the injury, Ward delivered a team-lifting speech at three-quarter time when the Giants were trailing by 28 points.

The speech did the trick for the Giants, who sprung into life in a thrilling final quarter.

They kicked the only five goals of the term to seal a three-point victory.

Callum Brown was the hero at the end with a big mark and goal in the dying stages.

Ward also spoke to Fox Footy at the final change.

“It feels like a bad one, an ACL. Initially I was probably in shock, but now I’m alright, there’s a lot worse going on than me hurting my knee,” Ward told Fox Footy at three-quarter time.

“It was a change of direction, like a typical ACL.”

Ward was playing his 327th game and will go down as one of the Giants’ greatest ever.

The gun midfielder was the expansion club’s inaugural captain and has played more games for the club than anyone else.

He also spent four years at the Western Bulldogs before joining the Giants for their debut season.

Ward is universally loved by the entire AFL world and fans were quick to share their heartbreak.

“Cal Ward a legend. Hoping for a miracle,” former 7NEWS AFL reporter Mark Stevens tweeted

“Devastating if that’s the end for Callan Ward. A cruel way to go for a legend of the game,” journalist Lachlan McKirdy wrote on X.

“That’s heartbreaking for Cal Ward. Deserved to end a stellar career on his own terms,” another fan added.

More to come ...