While most of North’s injured players are approaching the pointy end of their rehabilitation programs, ready to return for a full pre-season, it isn’t the case for young forward Kieran Harper.

The 21-year old received disappointing news this week and was told he’d need surgery on his left ankle.

“He had some trouble with his ankle during the year and despite being given the appropriate amount of time off, it just hasn’t improved and settled as much as Dr Andy McMahon and the surgeon thought it would…so we sent him in for an arthroscope yesterday,” Director of Medical Services Steve Saunders told NMFC.com.au.

Despite the unfortunate timing, Saunders and North’s medical team expect he’ll make a swift recovery.

“It’s all gone really well. The doctors have debrided some thickened scar tissue and tidied things up so they’re really happy with how it looks now. Ideally it would have been good to have had the surgery sooner but sometimes you need to give these things time because you don’t want to operate on absolutely everything that comes under your nose.”

With the team’s high-altitude camp in Utah just weeks away, Harper will be limited in what he can do but it won’t prevent him from being ready to play come 2014.

“His Utah program will be modified somewhat, he won’t be able to do the volume of running and weight baring work we’d planned. In terms of what Kieran needs to get out of it in order to be ready for next season, it should all be fine.”

The determined youngster hasn’t let the setback dampen his spirits.

“He’s very thorough, very professional…Kieran takes everything in his stride; he’s wonderful to work with. He’s got a great attitude and fantastic work ethic. For him he just realises it’s something he has to get done and move on.”