The sickening collision between James Hird and Mark McVeigh at Subiaco Oval six years ago continues to hurt Essendon, with McVeigh forced to have knee surgery on Thursday afternoon.

Hird originally bore the brunt of their accidental clash during the AFL game against Fremantle in May 2002, after he slammed into McVeigh's knee while running back with the flight of the ball.

The Essendon champion suffered multiple fractures to his eye socket and forehead and missed eight weeks.

While McVeigh realised immediately that his knee had been damaged, it was only in the last month the injury had caused him problems.

Despite his best efforts to manage the lingering effects, McVeigh said his injured knee worsened following the Bombers' win over Brisbane last weekend.

He said swelling around the knee had not subsided and after a discussion with surgeon Julian Feller, it was decided McVeigh should undergo surgery now.

The 12th-placed Bombers have a slim hope of playing in September, with seven games remaining in the season.

"Back then (in 2002) I injured my knee quite significantly as opposed to what happened to James and I've battled ever since," McVeigh said.

"I never really had anything done on it, it's just flared up unfortunately, the cartilage has come off my femur - a bit of cartilage is floating under my kneecap which is causing a lot of pain.

"I was filthy I must admit when it happened because I went into the MRI scan thinking it was just one of those things you've got to look after and get it done at the end of the year but unfortunately I can't continue with it."

McVeigh said he had spoken to Hird about his sudden misfortune, with the former Bombers captain joking it was a case of football "karma."

While McVeigh is expected to miss up to six weeks, he was hopeful he would return in half that time given his ability to respond well to surgery.

But the 27-year-old midfielder was frustrated about the timing of his stint on the sidelines.

"It makes it tougher because the side's starting to turn around things and you wanted to be a part of that," he said.

"We've been through such lows this year and we're getting some momentum, whether we make the finals or finish the season off with eight wins, you just want to be part of that.

"I want to help the young guys develop and my senior teammates so that's most disappointing for me."

Meanwhile, McVeigh has supported team-mate Andrew Lovett, who received a two-week club suspension this week for missing a compulsory training session after a night out.

McVeigh helped decide Lovett's punishment and said his future at the club was not in question.

"He's accepted what his penalty was and hopefully we can get him back in the side as quick as possible because we need him, to have a crack at the final eight," McVeigh said.

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