The star Corowa-Rutherglen recruit, who suffered bone bruising in his left knee in the opening two rounds, is booked for surgery after recent scans revealed he also had floating cartilage.

Brain is having the injury re-assessed by a doctor in Melbourne, with his fate to be determined next week.

He could be back on the field in a fortnight, or miss the rest of the season.

“It’s a bit of bad news but I’m trying not to stress too much,” Brain said.

“Hopefully we can get in there and clean it up.

“I won’t know for sure for a week or so.

“I’m still aiming for a couple of weeks but if it’s worse than they thought, it could be three months.”

Brain first hurt his knee against Wangaratta in round 1, receiving another heavy knock against Wodonga Raiders the following weekend.

He hasn’t played since.

The midfield ace had been expected to return as soon as today’s clash with Wodonga but hit a hurdle recently.

“It was something we missed on the scans the first time,” Brain said.

“I’ve been referred to Melbourne.

“It looks like I might have done it in round 1 so, if anything, I’m pretty lucky because I played the next week.”

Brain’s anterior cruciate and medial ligaments are intact.

While he’d love to be out there today, Brain said the Roos’ hot start to the season had made his injury troubles easier to take.

“The boys are going along all right so that’s helped,” he said.

“I don’t know how I would have gone if we were 0-5.

“Fingers crossed I can just get it cleaned up and be out there again in a couple of weeks.”

In better news, veteran utility Kade Kuschert (quad) will play his first game for the season in the reserves today.