IT'S A big blow for any footballer to be ruled out of the home and away season before a ball has been bounced, but it stings that little bit more when you've just played your best senior game.

That's the nightmare scenario second-year North Melbourne player Ayden Kennedy has had to come to grips with since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee last Saturday against Greater Western Sydney at Lavington, in southern New South Wales.
 
Drafted by the Kangaroos in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft after recording the fastest 20m sprint time at that year's draft camp, the 192cm key-position prospect had a promising but injury-interrupted season with North's VFL affiliate Werribee last year - he missed 10 weeks mid-season with a foot stress fracture.

This pre-season, he played his first game for the Kangaroos in round one of the NAB Cup, against the Western Bulldogs, and was then named in North's best players against GWS after booting two goals up forward.

But in the last quarter of that game, his season ended.

"It was probably my best game of the year so far but these things always seem to come at the worst times," Kennedy said.

Speaking to afl.com.au at Aegis Park on Friday, Kennedy, 19, said he would undergo a knee reconstruction next week, having been forced to wait until a nearby cut - suffered earlier in the game against GWS - healed.
 
Kennedy said North's doctors never raised the option of LARS surgery - in which synthetic fibres are used to repair the ACL - and he was confident a traditional knee reconstruction was the best course for him.

"I just want to get it right and [a knee reconstruction] is going to bring it back to full strength and full health," he said.

Kennedy is already thinking about how he can best use his year on the sidelines, seeing it as a good chance to watch games and develop a better understanding of North's structures and game plans.

He also plans to throw himself into his rehabilitation and is buoyed by the fact he'll be able to resume running "in a little while" and embark on a full pre-season ahead of season 2012.

"I'll be looking to come back bigger, stronger and fitter than I was … and hopefully I'll go all right next year."