MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 26: Alex Woodward of the Hawks celebrates his debut game during the round 18 AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Sydney Swans at Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 26, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Former Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward has ruptured his ACL for the fourth time since 2012 and will now put his football career on hold while he begins rehabilitation once again.

The 23-year-old suffered the injury in a VFL clash on the weekend, while playing for Collingwood against Sandringham on Saturday.

Following five seasons on Hawthorn's list that only saw the midfielder play two matches in 2014 (despite dominating in the VFL that same season and winning the JJ Liston Trophy as the league's best player), Woodward was given a lifeline by Collingwood's VFL side.

He started his season in strong form, collecting 29 and 27 disposals over the first two weeks of the campaign before suffering the injury.

“The news of needing to go through another knee reconstruction all over again is exhausting in so many ways for me and my loved ones,” Woodward said in a statement posted to Twitter.

“Coming to terms with what has happened will not be easy and quite painful for a while.

“Sometimes the only way to start again is to accept defeat no matter how difficult that may be.

“My priority will not be returning to play football but will be what is best for me and my body in the long run.

“I pride myself on my resilience, and I know I will be OK and overcome this one way or another.

“I appreciate all of the support.”