Essendon young gun Sullivan Robey will miss the start of pre-season after undergoing knee surgery.
Robey, 19, missed the end of his debut season after suffering a medial knee injury in round 20.
Essendon opted for surgery in the hope of fast-tracking what it conceded had been a slow recovery for the first-round pick.
The Bombers aim for Robey to integrate back into training before the Christmas and New Year break.
“Sullivan Robey is aiming to be integrated back into training before Essendon’s Christmas break after undergoing a minor procedure on his right knee,” a club spokesperson said.
“The 19-year-old’s debut AFL campaign ended at round 20 when he suffered a partial medial ligament tear in the loss to the Hawks.
“The club opted to put him on ice for the remainder of the season and monitor his progress.
“The Bombers initially took a conservative approach to his recovery, but his progress over the off-season was slower than hoped.
“By making this decision now, the club feels it provides the best chance for Robey to prepare for round 1.
“While Robey won’t be fully available for the start of the club’s first pre-season block under Mark McVeigh, he’s looking to be back up and running by Christmas.”
Robey played 15 games and was a shining light in the Bombers’ disappointing 2026 campaign.
Essendon has otherwise had a strong off-season, appointing respected footy minds John Longmire, Craig Vozzo and Daniel Pratt alongside McVeigh.
Originally published as Essendon young gun Sullivan Robey to miss pre-season start after undergoing knee surgery