Alex Fasolo will miss at least eight weeks of Collingwood’s pre-season

ALEX Fasolo will go in for surgery on his injured shoulder on Tuesday but the Magpies are already resigned to the fact he will miss a huge part of the pre-season.

Nathan Buckley talks with Alex Fasolo at training. Picture: Michael Klein

ALEX Fasolo will miss at least eight weeks of Collingwood’s pre-season.

Fasolo injured his shoulder in a training drill earlier this month, with the club initially hopeful the damage wasn’t serious.

However, the 25-year-old didn’t respond well to early treatment and will have surgery on Tuesday.

Collingwood head of football Geoff Walsh said the club would know an exact recovery time for Fasolo after his surgery.

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“Unfortunately, the week before last he had a bit of an incident on the training track which at the time didn’t look that bad,” Walsh said on SEN radio.

“Alex has had a history of shoulder issues and the impact at training was enough to set him back.

Alex Fasolo will miss a large part of Collingwood’ s pre-season training. Picture: AAP Images

“It was going to be an in-and-out job for two or three times in the year, but it was thought by our medical team, best to bite the bullet (and send him in for an operation).

“We really won’t know until the surgeon goes in and has a look around how many weeks we are looking at. I’d think it’s an eight-plus week job, at least.”

Walsh also provided an update on Jamie Elliott, who is also set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

Elliott went in for surgery on his injured ankle in late November.

“His rehab’s been really strong and he might be a little bit ahead of the curve if anything,” Walsh said.

“That’s one thing about Jamie — his approach to his rehab is pretty strong.

“While he is still that 12-14 week stint on the sidelines, he’s really pleasing our medical people.”

Elliott and Fasolo combined for 63 goals last season.