Geelong young gun Cory Gregson has undergone surgery to insert screws in his foot.
The AFL club confirmed Gregson would miss the rest of the season a week ago but were optimistic he wouldn't require surgery on a stress fracture.
Specialists have since convinced the Cats otherwise.
"We want to do everything possible to avoid a recurrence of this injury therefore surgery was decided as the best option for Cory," Geelong's football manager Steve Hocking said.
"All went well yesterday and Cory will begin a rehab program in the coming weeks with the aim to have him return to training early next year."
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The 19-year-old was nominated for the league's Rising Star award in 2015 and has played 29 games.
