COLLINGWOOD small forward Alex Fasolo is set to miss most, if not all of the 2013 season, after scans revealed a fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot.

Fasolo - Collingwood's No.2 ranked forward in the Official AFL Player Ratings - will have surgery this week, after receiving the results of scans on Monday.

Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said there was a high likelihood Fasolo would require the insertion of a pin to help the healing process.
 
"He's (Fasolo) had that done on his left foot and he's had no complications from that, but it will take a bit of time and the rehab will be quite methodical and quite slow," Buckley said on Wednesday morning.

The 20-year-old experienced pain in his foot during training and reported it to club medical staff, thinking it may have only been a slight moment of discomfort.

Buckley said losing the club's second leading goal kicker from the 2012 season was a big blow for the club's forward line.
 
"(It's) disappointing for Fas and disappointing for us. He had an issue with that foot over the pre-season and (we) put it in a boot, got him back up to speed but he landed awkwardly on it on Monday.
 
"Obviously it's going to be an extended period out, which is not ideal."

Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said the club was confident Fasolo would do everything in his power to return as a stronger player.

"Unfortunately, the news wasn’t good and Alex will have surgery in the next couple of days," Walsh said in a club statement.

"Given the nature of the injury it's likely that he will miss most, if not all, of the rest of the season. We're sure Alex will do everything right in terms of his rehabilitation which should give him some hope for 2013 but there can be no rush with an injury of this kind."

Fasolo had an injury-interrupted pre-season and did not play senior football until round three, where he donned the substitute's vest against Hawthorn.

He was omitted from the side before the game against St Kilda in round six and went back to the VFL where he responded with a strong performance.

Despite the impressive showing, he was suspended by the VFL tribunal for one-match - effectively two AFL games (due to the VFL bye) - after pleading guilty to rough conduct

Fasolo still had one week to serve of his suspension and was not available for selection against Fremantle last Saturday night.