Young North Melbourne defender Daniel Nielson is the fourth AFL player this year to have his season ruined by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Nielson suffered the injury at training on Thursday and will need a left knee reconstruction.
The surgery is likely to end the 18-year-old's first season at an AFL club before it has started.
Nielson joined North with pick 25 in last year's national draft.
Top Melbourne pick Christian Petracca is also out for the year with a reconstruction.
Two other players to suffer the same fate in this pre-season are Western Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore and West Coast defender Eric Mackenzie, who won their clubs' respective best-and-fairest awards last season.
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