St Kilda forward Max King is expected to undergo shoulder surgery after injuring his left shoulder in a marking contest at pre-season training on Monday.
King underwent scans on Tuesday before consulting a surgeon.
The 22-year-old is expected to undergo a shoulder reconstruction in the coming days, delaying his preparation for the season 2023, and potentially ruling him out of the start of the campaign.
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St Kilda’s executive general manager of football Geoff Walsh confirmed King is set to spend “a number of months” on the sidelines.
“Obviously this is an extremely disappointing setback for Max,” he said.
“He had come back for pre-season in really great condition, which is a credit to his professionalism; a trait we know will stand him in good stead as he works through his rehab over the next few months.
“The recovery and rehabilitation period for this injury will be a number of months, which we will provide updates on as he progresses through his rehab program – suffice to say his return to play will not be until the season is well underway.”
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