IT HAS been confirmed Crows star Brett Burton will require a full knee reconstruction.
The high-flying forward injured his knee against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday while trying to change direction.
The club has already flagged the possibility of Burton undergoing radical knee surgery, similar to that performed on Swan Nick Malceski and Fremantle’s Luke Webster, but Adelaide club doctor Andrew Potter said it was too early to tell whether the revolutionary procedure was appropriate for Burton’s type of anterior cruciate ligament tear.
“Brett has spoken to the surgeon and it has been confirmed that he will require a knee reconstruction,” Dr Potter said.
“In the next few days Brett and his surgeon will decide what type of surgery is best for him, but for the moment there is a lot more information, which may include an arthroscope, to be collected to make the best decision.”
Adelaide's football manager John Reid also said the decision was ultimately up to the 30-year-old Crow, who played in the Hall of Fame Tribute Match earlier this season.
"It's a consideration, but that's all I can say at this stage," Reid said.
"First, we've got to get all the details about this new operation.
"Secondly, there's a fair bit of what Brett wants to do."
In better news for Adelaide, emerging star Jason Porplyzia, who was also injured in the clash with Collingwood, will not require immediate surgery on his shoulder.
Porplyzia has battled with a shoulder complaint since May and the club has opted to postpone a potential reconstruction in favour of rest and rehabilitation.
The 23-year-old will miss between two and three weeks with the aim of playing out the 2008 season.
Teammate Tyson Edwards said the Crows would love to have Porplyzia for the remainder of the season if he was able to play through the pain.
"I don't know the ins and outs of it, he's a fantastic player for us, we'd love to have him out there, but if the time is right to have the operation and get it done then that's what he's got to do," Edwards said on Monday.
