Australian Test centre Brent Tate will have his third knee reconstruction this week in a bid to save his playing career.

The 28-year-old Queenslander was a shattered figure after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the first half of Australia's 16-12 Four Nations' final loss to New Zealand on Saturday night.

Tate has decided to have surgery again after consulting leading Brisbane orthopaedic surgeon Peter Myers on Monday following scans on his left knee on Sunday.

The North Queensland-bound player is likely to go under the knife in the next few days.

He has already come back from two previous knee reconstructions in 2007 and 2009.

Speculation he could try LARS surgery, which involves the use of artificial ligaments, have been ruled out because of previous surgery to his joint.

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