North Melbourne have ruled youngster Flynn Perez our for the season after suffering a serious knee injury at training earlier this week.
It is a cruel blow for Perez, with an arthroscope revealing the 19-year old required surgery to repair the graft in his previously reconstructed knee, requiring a second full ACL reconstruction.
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Perez missed his entire 2019 NAB AFL Draft season with an ACL injury.
North North Melbourne football boss Brady Rawlings said the club would have full support of Perez and was confident he would bounce back.
"This is obviously devastating for Flynn being his second reconstruction," Rawlings said in a club statement.
"Flynn’s attitude has always been first class and we have no doubt that he will return in great shape and have a real impact for us in the years to come.
"He’s very much part of this club’s future and as we do with all our players, we’ll take a long-term approach to their physical and mental well-being."
Perez was drafted by North Melbourne out of the Bendgo Pioneers with Pick 34 in the 2019 AFL draft.
He made his AFL debut in Round 16 last season and played the final three games for the Kangaroos.