Star Sydney forward Lance Franklin won't return to pre-season training until January after being forced to undergo surgery on a lingering groin injury.
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Franklin injured his groin in the dying minutes of Sydney's round 22 win over GWS.
He returned to play in the club's elimination final loss to the Giants, but didn't look at full strength as he tallied just eight disposals to go with his 0.1.
The Swans initially hoped an extended period of rest would help the injury heal fully.
But Franklin underwent surgery on Tuesday after it was decided the injury wasn't healing fast enough.
Sydney expect Franklin to return to skills training in January.
"It was planned that rest would be the optimal form of recovery post-season for Lance," new Swans head of football Charlie Gardiner said
"However, it hasn't healed at the rate we would have liked and surgery was determined as the best course of action.
"We are confident Lance will make a full recovery and he'll do everything possible to bounce back and play a big part in 2019."
Franklin booted 57 goals from 19 games last season, and again looms as a key to Sydney's hopes of challenging for the flag.
Australian Associated Press
