Knee blows for Suckling and Johnson in AFL - Sydney Morning Herald

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Hawthorn's Matt Suckling is set to miss the whole AFL season with a serious knee injury but Sydney haven't ruled out a synthetic graft to get Alex Johnson back sooner.

The two young defenders played every game for their clubs last season, including the grand final, but both went down in weekend pre-season matches.

The Hawks said Suckling, 24, will undergo a traditional reconstruction on his right knee after scans on Sunday confirmed an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture.

That means Suckling, one of just three Hawks to play every game last year, is unlikely to play any part of this season.

The Swans were still to confirm the extent of the damage to Johnson, 21, but are almost certain an ACL rupture will be confirmed on Monday.

They will then decide whether Johnson will also have a traditional reconstruction or LARS surgery, the synthetic graft procedure which premiership teammate Nick Malceski underwent twice in the past five years.

That seems a more unlikely option for Johnson, given his youth and the uncertainty over the method's long-term consequences.

But it would give him the possibility of a mid-season comeback.

Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh, who said teammates heard a "snap" when Johnson went down on Saturday night, said the injury was a shattering blow for both player and club.

"We might see him at the end of the year, I'm not too sure, but it's obviously not a great result," McVeigh said on Sunday.

He said with the quick 193cm backman able to play on tall and small opponents, Sydney had no one that could fully replace him.

"He's a really good runner and a real competitor," McVeigh said.

"He had a really good season last year and a great finals series so he'll be sorely missed."

Suckling's absence will be just as sorely felt by the Hawks, after the piercing left-footer rebounded the ball from defence more than any other Hawk last season.

"It's obviously a devastating thing to happen to Matt on the eve of the season, but his attitude will be to throw himself into his rehab program and come back a stronger player from this," Hawks football manager Mark Evans said.

Adelaide are dealing with a more minor fitness concern.

Forward Jason Porplyzia will be restricted to light training this week because of a stomach ulcer, which was discovered in hospital on Friday night.

But the Crows expect Porplyzia to play in the March 22 season opener against Essendon.