Former Wodonga Raider Max Beattie is set to miss around half the SANFL season after undergoing ankle surgery last Friday.
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The 20-year-old suffered a torn syndesmosis and damaged ankle ligaments in Woodville-West Torrens first practice match against South Adelaide on March 1.
"I got tackled from behind and my ankle got trapped underneath me and it was getting trod on at the same time it was being twisted, so pretty unlucky, I guess," he said.
"It's pretty upsetting, but that's the way footy can be sometimes."
The half-forward injured his right ankle.
"The first week or so I can't really do anything, so just stuck in my house, I can only put 25 per cent of my body weight on my ankle at the moment," the right-footer explained.
"I'll be on crutches for at least two, maybe three weeks, and then a moon boot for six.
"I can run in eight weeks and be in full training around 12."
The injury caps an off-season of highs and lows.
Beattie was just a few days into a European holiday when he was invited to attend the South Australian AFL State Draft Combine.
Fremantle then invited him to audition for a Rookie spot, vying with Clarement forward Sam van Rooyen, ex-St Kilda wingman Daniel McKenzie and Essendon draftee Patrick Voss.
The latter won selection, but Beattie had steeled himself for a bumper season as he chases that AFL dream.
"Probably rollercoaster is the way I'd describe it (the off-season), obviously I was super disappointed I didn't get the spot, but I was ready to crack back in, it's the fittest I've ever been and then in my first match I do the injury," he outlined.
"Obviously I'll do my rehab right and hopefully we can have some success and play finals."
The Eagles missed finals last year, with Beattie finishing sixth in the club best and fairest.
The SANFL season-opener is on Thursday, March 28, with the other four games the following day on Good Friday.
