Melbourne key forward Ben Brown will undergo knee surgery to address cartilage damage in his left knee.
Brown was sent to see a specialist after reporting persistent swelling in his knee, with the club making the conservative decision to send him in for an arthroscope.
Demons General Manager Alan Richardson said they are yet to put a timeframe on the his return.
“Given Ben’s knee history we will be taking a conservative approach to his recovery,” Richardson told Melbourne Media.
“Ben’s availability for selection will be determined on how well he responds to the rehab program. We are very confident though that we can build Ben back to full fitness and we will see him in action during the early rounds of the season.
“We anticipate Ben will be in a position to commence running four weeks following surgery.
“He is in very good shape and his training standards since joining the club have been outstanding.
“We recruited Ben as a long-term player for the club and are very confident that his best football is ahead of him.”
Melbourne traded for Brown from North Melbourne in last year's trade period.
He impressed early in the pre-season, dominating an intra-club match where he kicked six goals in one quarter.