Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines admits he regrets water skiing so close to the 2019 season.
The midfielder suffered a dislocated shoulder in a water skiing incident over the Australia Day long weekend and is expected to miss the opening month of the new campaign.
"In the context of things, I've probably got to look at the times I'm doing these things," Wines said.
"Perhaps this close to the start of the season, only eight weeks out, is maybe an unnecessary time to be doing it."
"I've probably got to look, once I'm all healed, now that footy season's started, the times that it's appropriate for me to be doing it."
While he rues the timing of the injury, the 24-year-old will continue to pursue his love of water skiing in the future.
"It's something I love doing and at this stage, it's something I'll continue to do," he said.
"I've got to take more measures now to decrease the risks even more.
"Whether that's not wakeboarding and just skiing and just keeping it to a couple of times a year.
"It was a freak accident; the rope pulled my arm and unfortunately pulled my shoulder out."
Wines is a candidate to replace Travis Boak as Port Adelaide captain along with defender Tom Jonas and midfielder Brad Ebert.