Hawthorn star Jaeger O'Meara has dismissed fears his recurring knee issues threaten to bring his AFL career to a premature end.
The 23-year-old didn't play an AFL game in his last two seasons with Gold Coast after he ruptured a patella tendon then suffered several setbacks after corrective surgery.
O'Meara has played four games since joining the Hawks at the end of last season and is currently on the comeback trail after suffering bone bruising in his troublesome right knee.
But he said talk he is in danger of being forced into early retirement by the recurring issues is wide of the mark.
"I understand the panic - 'Jaeger O'Meara' and 'knee' - (it's) obviously panic stations for everyone that doesn't really know what's going on," O'Meara said on Channel Seven.
"But my scans are all good, which is the main thing. I've been scanned and they've all come up clear. I've got a little bit of stuff going on but nothing major (and) it's nothing to do with my previous surgery.
"I'm really confident that once I've done this little conditioning block that will give me a launch pad for the rest of the year.
"I should be sweet."
Coach Alastair Clarkson revealed O'Meara would need to complete a mini pre-season after pulling up sore from the round six loss to St Kilda.
O'Meara, who won the AFL's rising star award in his debut season in 2013, played all 22 games in his first two seasons with the Suns.
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