Essendon has confirmed star midfielder David Zaharakis will have surgery to repair an injury to his syndesmosis that he suffered against the Dockers on Saturday night.

โ€œDavid suffered the injury when his ankle got caught under him in a contest during the first quarter,โ€ Essendon's General Manager of football Dan Richardson told the club's website.

โ€œUnfortunately, heโ€™ll undergo surgery in the coming days. Following his surgery, the Club will seek further advice from the specialist to determine the length of time heโ€™ll be sidelined.โ€