Sydney AFL premiership defender Alex Johnson won’t be part of the club’s attempt to go back to back after opting for a traditional knee reconstruction.

The 21-year-old had been weighing up whether to try to save his season by having LARS surgery, after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) earlier this month.

The LARS method, involving a synthetic graft, can enable players to return in as little as three months but there is uncertainty over the potential long-term consequences.

Returning from traditional surgery normally takes between nine months and a year, which means Johnson’s season is almost certainly over before it starts.

The versatile backman, who played every game last year including the grand final, spent time with family and friends in Melbourne before making the difficult choice.