Port Adelaide star Robbie Gray will target an AFL return in the final stages of the regular season, having been booked for knee surgery.
Gray's 250th match ended prematurely on Saturday when he was substituted at halftime of Port's win over Gold Coast.
Follow-up scans revealed the torn medial ligament in his left knee required surgery.
The Power expect Gray, one of their most important players and a three-time best and fairest, to be on the sidelines for eight weeks.
There are nine rounds remaining in 2021, meaning any setback in the 33-year-old's recovery could put him at risk of missing the start of finals.
Port defender Lachie Jones is set to be out of action for a month, having suffered a hamstring injury against the Suns.
Port, who sit fifth on the ladder, host sixth-placed Sydney in a crunch clash at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
© AAP 2021