Sydney forward Tom Papley has been placed on the club's long term injury list and looks set to miss the start of the 2017 season.
Papley underwent surgery in December after he was diagnosed with bilateral compartment syndrome.
However, during his rehabilitation program, he has experienced pain in his knee and he subsequently underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Thursday.
The Swans are hopeful Papley can push for a return by round two of the regular season.
“While it’s disappointing for Tom to have an interrupted pre-season, we expect him to recover quickly from this latest surgery and return to playing from as early as round two,” Sydney head of football Tom Harley said.
“Part of the consideration to operate certainly included where Tom is at with regard to his recovery from compartment syndrome. We are very confident that by addressing his knee now with minor arthroscopic surgery, he will have the best chance to make an impact when he returns.
“Tom is extremely diligent in his rehab and we’ve got no doubt he’ll be doing everything possible to overcome this setback and contribute for the team early this season.”
Papley played 20 games last season, including every final, kicking 29 goals.
