Sydney defender Nick Malceski has paid tribute to LARS surgery ahead of his 100th game, saying his AFL career would have prematurely ended without the cutting-edge knee reconstruction technology.

Malceski was the first AFL player to undergo the Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System (LARS) procedure, which involves the use of artificial ligaments instead of the traditional method of ligament reconstruction.

The 26-year-old has ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on three occasions, and opted for the LARS method in 2008 and earlier this year.

LARS has significantly cut down players' recovery time.

Malceski made a remarkable return in round nine this year, just 11 weeks after his pre-season setback.

While some surgeons have questioned the radical procedure, most notably the longevity of the synthetic ligaments, Malceski has no such doubts.

"If LARS wasn't around, I don't think I would have got there (100 games) to be honest, so I'm grateful of that," Malceski said.

"With the reco, I did my knee in my second year here, missed a whole year of footy and then I debuted in 2005, played five games and did my knee again.

"So I would have missed two full years (had I opted for another traditional knee reconstruction).

"Trying to get back after that, missing a fair bit of footy, it would have been pretty hard I think and probably would have taken its toll."

Malceski's successful use of LARS has prompted a host of other AFL footballers, former rugby league player Luke Covell and golfer Nick O'Hern to follow suit.

However Collingwood defender Nathan Brown, Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer and St Kilda veteran Lenny Hayes have all recently turned down the LARS option.

There isn't enough research yet to prove the artificial ligaments will stand the test of time and detractors have highlighted the fact Malceski's right knee has twice needed LARS surgery in the space of less than three years.

The rebounding half-back has no hesitations in recommending the procedure when strangers turn to him for advice.

"I'm getting used to the phone calls, asking how it's going and whether other blokes should get it or not," he said.

"Even local footy players from back in Melbourne have called me and asked about it."

"You miss nine months of footy or three months.

"It's up to the player really. If I did it again, I'd 100 per cent get LARS and I'm hoping it does take off.

"It (rupturing an ACL) is not like a season-ending injury any more."

Malceski hopes LARS will prolong his AFL career, but his current focus is on Sunday's clash at the SCG with Fremantle, a side that trails the sixth-placed Swans by just two points on the ladder.

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