Geelong midfielder Scott Selwood has undergone ankle surgery and will miss the next 6-8 weeks.
Selwood seeked medical advice after experiencing pain and stiffness in his return to pre-season training, ultimately deciding on an arthroscopy.
Geelong's General Manager of Football Simon Lloyd spoke to the Cats website:
โThe decision for surgery was made as the clubโs medical staff believe it will give Scott the best chance of missing minimal football going forward,โ Lloyd told geelongcats.com.au.
โScott will now begin a rehab program with his recovery expected to take approximately six to eight weeks.โ
The tough midfielder averaged 19.4 disposals and a whopping 10.7 tackles per game in 2017, his second year in the blue and white hoops.
The injury is a frustrating setback for the veteran, who looked set for a big year alongside Dangerfield, Ablett and his brother Joel Selwood.
A smooth recovery could still see the tackling machine line-up in round one, but with a poor injury history Geelong are likely to play it safe with the 27-year-old.
