Albury's Jessy Wilson likely to miss next year after knee reconstruction

The league Team of the Year member was forced off midway through the first quarter against Yarrawonga on September 24, but he actually suffered the injury after only 90 seconds.

"Leigh Williams was coming out of the square, the ball was in dispute and it was literally a non-contact change of direction," Wilson recalled.

"I planted my foot and went to turn and heard a 'pop', I thought I'd popped my knee out at the time, but it looked alright, so I kept trotting around, but it didn't feel right, so I went into the rooms and got it assessed, had it strapped and took some painkillers and went back on, but then in another incident, it went again."

It left the Tigers a man down and given Yarrawonga went into the game on a 10-match winning streak, it was always going to be an enormous test for the underdogs, although they showed typical Albury spirit to lose by only four points and play their role in one of the league's greatest grand finals.

"It was a bit of a bummer, that's how the cookie crumbles, it was tough to watch from the sidelines, especially being so close, being down that one rotation, you never know how things would have panned out," Wilson added.

The Tigers have already recruited two A graders for next year in 2018 premiership player Mat Walker from the VFL and another ex-player in Fletcher Carroll from the SANFL, so they will be a stronger outfit, but the loss of the popular 24-year-old can't be underestimated.

"I know you shouldn't have a soft spot for someone as a coach, but for (co-coach) Shaun (Daly) and I, we're Howlong locals like Jessy, and he's a real leader in our leadership group and one of our vice-captains," co-coach Anthony Miles suggested.

Wilson is scheduled to have reconstructive surgery at the end of next week.

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