MELBOURNE defender Neville Jetta is set for an extended stint on the sidelines after injuring his left knee against the Saints in Round 5.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury during the first half of Saturday’s 40-point loss to St Kilda and it has been decided that surgery is the best outcome for him.

“Neville had an incident on the weekend in the second quarter with his knee,” General Manager of Football Operations Josh Mahoney told Melbourne Media.

“Scans post-game have shown that he has a significant tear in his lateral meniscus which will require surgery.”

The club is wasting no time in getting Jetta’s recovery underway, with the veteran preparing to go under the knife on Tuesday.

“This surgery will happen tomorrow, and we expect Neville to miss an extended period of time – most likely eight to 10 weeks,” Mahoney said.

Jetta sat out the Demons’ Round 4 win over Sydney with a separate knee complaint, but this fresh injury will require a more in-depth rehab process to set him up for a strong second half of the season.

While it’s disappointing for Jetta, Mahoney said he will still be an important person to have around the group during his recovery.

“This is unfortunate for Neville and the backline, but it provides an opportunity for some other guys to step up, and he will continue to lead from the sidelines,” Mahoney said.