WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore will undergo a traditional reconstruction on his 'good' right knee after suffering the injury in Sunday's loss to Greater Western Sydney in Canberra.
It will be the second time the 25-year-old has had the operation, after he tore the ACL in his left knee during a pre-season match in 2015.
Upon arriving at his surgeon's Melbourne practice on Monday, Liberatore was putting on a brave face ahead of another long stint on the sidelines.
"It's pretty upsetting but I've just got to get on with it like last time," Liberatore said.
It's a bitter blow to the gifted playmaker, as he appeared to be returning to his brilliant best after an underwhelming 2017 campaign that saw him dropped to the VFL for a month.
In another hit to coach Luke Beveridge's struggling side, recruit Hayden Crozier is set to miss a month after straining the medial ligament in his right knee against the Giants.
"During the weekend's game, someone fell across Hayden's knee (and) it actually damaged the medial ligament. We'll manage it conservatively but I expect him to miss the next month of football," medical services manager Chris Bell said.
In better news for the Dogs, key forward Jack Redpath will be available for Sunday's match against West Coast at Etihad Stadium after completing a three-match suspension for striking Giant Phil Davis in round 21 last year.
Mitch Wallis looms as a like-for-like for Liberatore after a typical hard-working midfielder was a standout in a VFL practice match on the weekend, while Lukas Webb could come in for Crozier.
Meanwhile, Marcus Adams is progressing well following ankle surgery and Dale Morris is out of a knee brace as he target a mid-season return from the partial ACL tear he suffered in training.