Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy will undergo surgery to rectify a historical ankle injury, a procedure that will involve removing a screw that was inserted in July 2023.
Darcy has struggled to get his body right over the past two seasons, dealing with persistent knee and foot issues, limiting his output to 27 games.
Dockers EGM of Football Joe Brierty revealed that after the 26-year-old visited a specialist the "right call" was to go ahead with the surgery.
"Sean saw a specialist yesterday regarding the infection and it was agreed that the right call is to remove the screw to ensure that there aren't any long-term ongoing issues with infection," Brierty said on TABradio.
"The removal of this screw will mean that Darcy will have a couple of weeks de-loading to recover from the procedure before re-commencing training.
"Sean has been training diligently throughout pre-season and pleasingly he can continue to implement his knee program during this period as he prepares to return to full-training."
This procedure follows on from a late-year arthroscope on his left knee to "stabilise some margins", which has restricted his training over the summer months.
Darcy travelled to the Aspetar Sports Medical Clinic in Doha last week to continue his rehabilitation on his knee, a trip that was unrelated to his most recent surgery, according to Brierty.
"The way he attacked that time over in Doha with the specialists was great to see, and he's brought back some really important exercises that will assist his function and movement," Brierty added.
"All going well, it is anticipated that there will only be a small adjustment to his return to play timelines with the aim to return to football in the early rounds of the season."
Darcy is contracted at Fremantle until the end of 2030.
The Western Australian club is preparing for their upcoming marquee clash against the Indigenous All Stars on February 15 at Optus Stadium.
The Dockers will then turn their attention to a 2025 season tune-up with Melbourne before a Round 1 battle with Geelong.
