WEST Coast midfielder Sam Butler is overdue for a change of luck after yet another setback in an AFL career plagued by injury.

Butler, dogged by a series of debilitating groin complaints throughout his 45-game career, went under the knife last month after succumbing to a hernia.

The 22-year-old said he had coped with the condition for the best part of a year but it got to the point where surgery was the best option.

Butler, who missed West Coast's entire 2007 campaign before scrounging together five games last season, described his latest setback as a "kick in the teeth" but said he expected to be back in full training by Christmas.

"I've had the problem for over a year and it didn't really bother me at all during last season," Butler said.

"We toyed with the idea straight after the season (to get it fixed up).

"I was pretty keen not to have it done so I went three or four weeks into the off season and it wasn't going away and it was staying around and even getting worse.

"So I came back and said 'look, I'm feeling it'. I went in to have a scan and pretty much bang, had to go straight in (for surgery).

"I didn't really see it coming and I was disappointed when I had it done but it's not the end of the world and it's not as bad as the other surgeries I've had in the past.

"I should be flat out by Christmas time and all systems go from there hopefully."

The premiership on-baller said he was hoping for a clean bill of health in 2009 as the Eagles continue to tinker with their midfield following the departures of Chris Judd and Ben Cousins in 2007.

But Butler admits he will need to be carefully managed from week to week even at full health.

"The plan will probably be to rest me on certain sessions given my history," he said.

"I'm pretty comfortable in knowing how my body is feeling and whether I should take a session off or have a lighter session.

"It will be driven by myself a little bit and obviously a fair bit by the medical staff, so we just have to monitor it as we go."