Brent Tate will undergo his fourth knee reconstruction on Thursday

SHATTERED Maroons winger Brent Tate will undergo his fourth knee reconstruction and admits his family comes first as he weighs up retirement.

QLD's Brent Tate down injured during Game 2 of the 2014 State of Origin series at ANZ Stadium .Picture Gregg Porteous

SHATTERED Maroons winger Brent Tate will undergo his fourth knee reconstruction and admits his family comes first as he weighs up the prospect of retirement.

Tate visited Brisbane-based orthopaedic surgeon Peter Myers, the specialist who reconstructed Broncos legend Darren Lockyer's knee in 2007.

Myers has previously performed two reconstructions on Tate's left knee and will fix his right ACL, which the Maroons ace first ruptured at the Warriors in 2009.

The 32-year-old, who snapped his ACL for a fourth time in Origin II, spoke of his apprehension at facing another lengthy rehabilitation.

Brent Tate is helped off after injuring his knee.

"I'm dreading it to be honest," he said of Thursday's operation. "That's the worst part, you know what's coming and I'm not looking forward to it.

"It's not like I have a choice, I have to get it done. Peter Myers has done two of my operations, I got the other one done in New Zealand and this is the one I've ruptured.

"I've spoken to a few people and I'll definitely consult the doc, the decision on my future could be taken out of my hands."

Just one other player in the modern era has undergone four knee reconstructions. Former NSW and Test lock Nik Kosef played a decade at Manly and the Northern Eagles, only to retire at the end of 2002 after constant pain in his knees.

Tate is contracted to the Cowboys next season and has the club's support to play on, but the veteran admits he is facing his NRL mortality.

"I'm staring down the barrel of it all being over," he said. "In my head, I guess I'm trying to shut it out a bit and I'll see what the doc says. But I'm under no illusions, it is the fourth knee reconstruction.

"I do know the knee is not great, it's not so much about me the footballer anymore, I have a lot more to think about these days and that's my wife and the kids.

"They are my No. 1 priority, I want to be able to grow old without having rotten knees, that's first and foremost in my mind."

NSW's Daniel Tupo makes a try saving tackle on Brent Tate during Game Two.

A veteran of 23 Origin games, Tate admits he is pained by the thought of never playing for Queensland again.

"It would be gut wrenching to walk away from that Origin jumper," he said. "It would be hard to say goodbye because I've been doing this since I was seven years old, that has been the hardest part of it all.

"I haven't let my mind wander because it's happened so quick. "One minute, I'm playing Origin, the next I'm seeing Pete Myers for another reconstruction.”

Originally published as Brent Tate will undergo his fourth knee reconstruction on Thursday