Nathan “leaf” Orf missed a big part of the 2025 VCT season because of serious health problems, and during that time G2 used a stand in, which made many fans think he was benched or dropped from the G2 roaster, even though the team kept supporting him.
Disappearance from G2 Roaster
In early July 2025, G2 announced that leaf would not be traveling to the Esports World Cup (EWC 2025) after doctors advised him to stay home. Shortly after that, match listings and broadcasts showed G2 playing without him, which quickly sparked rumors about internal roster problems and possible drama behind the scenes but the truth was different.
G2 and Leaf Clear Things Up
G2 consistently described leaf’s absence as a medical situation, and later reports confirmed that Andrej “babybay” Francisty was brought in as a temporary substitute. Leaf eventually shared more details himself, revealing that he had spent two weeks in the hospital while dealing with severe Crohn’s disease symptoms.
He explained that the condition caused intense pain, extreme fatigue, and difficulty eating. After being discharged, he said he was hopeful the issue had been resolved and thanked both the community and babybay for stepping in while he focused on getting healthy.
Why His Absence Felt So Big
Leaf is one of G2’s core players, so losing him came at a particularly difficult time. His absence came right after Masters Toronto and during major events like the Esports World Cup and VCT Stage 2. With only limited updates shared publicly, likely out of respect for his privacy, speculation spread quickly online and often outpaced the actual facts.
What This Means for Leaf in 2026
By the end of 2025, Sheep Esports reported that G2 had extended leaf’s contract through 2026. That move strongly suggests the organization still views him as a key part of their long-term plans. Meanwhile leaf is consistently posting on X (formaly twitter) indicating that he’s getting ready back to the game. Hopefully, he will be able to join for the Masters and VCT 2026 as fans expects.
