Sydney defender Nick Malceski, the AFL's self-proclaimed "bunny rabbit" for the revolutionary LARS knee reconstruction surgery, needs the operation again.

Malceski injured his right knee at training on Thursday, the same knee that underwent the LARS procedure after an incident during a February, 2008 pre-season game.

It was the first time an AFL player had a LARS reconstruction, which uses synthetic material, rather than the traditional knee reconstruction.

But Malceski now becomes the second AFL player to have a second bout of LARS surgery on the same knee.

Port Adelaide midfielder David Rodan has returned to the side for Friday's NAB Challenge game against Geelong after two LARS procedures on his left knee in 12 months.

Swans doctor Nathan Gibbs supported Malceski's decision to have another LARS operation.

"The option was available to us with this revision reconstruction, to use the conventional method or LARS surgery, and Nick was very keen to pursue the LARS surgery," Dr Gibbs said in a Sydney media statement.

"The recovery time of LARS surgery is exceptional, at approximately 12 weeks."

The serious injury normally sidelines players for 6-9 months, but Malceski was back playing senior football by round 8 of the 2008 season.

Malceski's young Sydney team-mate Campbell Heath is also recovering from LARS surgery on his left knee, two years after a traditional reconstruction on the same joint.

The LARS operation remains experimental and not everyone is opting for it.

Last month, Collingwood defender Nathan Brown ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at training and will have a traditional reconstruction, ending his season before it starts.

Malceski is optimistic about a quick comeback.

"It's obviously disappointing, but I know what I have ahead of me and I am really confident I can work my way back," he said.

"There's a lot of excitement about the season ahead and I'm looking forward to getting back out there with boys as soon as I can."

Malceski, 26, has played 92 games for Sydney since his 2005 debut.

He played all 24 games last season and finished seventh in the club's best and fairest award.

"He has gone through this before and come out of it well at the other end," coach John Longmire said.

"He is very professional, has a great work ethic and I'm sure he will leave no stone unturned in his rehabilitation.

"We'd love to see `Mal' come back as he did in 2008 and have a really positive impact on the side in the second half of the year."

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