Melbourne has confirmed star midfielder Christian Petracca suffered a lacerated spleen, a punctured lung, and four broken ribs during the club's King's Birthday clash against Collingwood.

Petracca copped a Darcy Moore knee to the side in a marking contest near quarter-time, and looked in severe pain as trainers raced to help the Demons gun.

Melbourne is still working on a return to play timeline for Petracca, a four-time All-Australian, as he recovers in hospital and undergoes further medical assessments.

"Obviously, Christian's health is the number one priority for us at the moment," Melbourne's football boss Alan Richardson said.

"The next few weeks will be crucial, and we'll be monitoring his progress closely to make sure he heals properly and fully. 

"As his recovery progresses, we will look towards a return to play timeline.

"He's obviously an extremely important player for the team, but his health and recovery are our top priorities right now."

Struggling to leave the field, it looked unlikely he would return to the game.

"Christian Petracca [is] in a bad way after a knee to the ribs from Darcy Moore," ABC Sport commentator Ben Cameron wrote on X at the time of the incident which caused Petracca's injury.

"Hard to see him continuing in the match." 

But club doctors approved his return to play in the belief he only had a rib injury, before it became clear in the second term he was in significant discomfort. 

Petracca was then pictured in the rooms on a stretcher waiting to be taken by ambulance to hospital.

Scans taken at hospital revealed the full extent of the damage Petracca suffered when he was crunched by Moore, with the Melbourne star undergoing a procedure to stop internal bleeding Monday night.

He remains in hospital for observation and recovery.

"Like anything with a broken rib, or a cracked rib, you certainly get some pain relief and see how you can go on," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said post-match on Monday. 

"It's standard process when you're working through these type of injuries.

Collingwood’s Mason Cox spent six weeks on the sidelines last year after he suffered a lacerated spleen in a marking contest.

The injury comes as the pre-season premiership fancies sit 10th on the ladder with a record of 7-6, with a bye next up before games against North Melbourne, Brisbane, West Coast and Essendon.

"Losing clearance significantly over the last two weeks — so it definitely is an area that we need to get better at and work on," Melbourne midfielder Jack Viney said after the match.