FIRST-YEAR midfielder Harley Balic is set for an extended stint on the sidelines after another bout of surgery on his troublesome wrist.

The 19-year-old will be sent for a third operation on his left wrist since fracturing the scaphoid bone dunking a basketball at school three years ago.

Balic was scheduled to go under the knife again on Wednesday after a similar procedure in August last year failed to heal sufficiently.

A timeframe for his return is yet to be set, but the club is expected to take a cautious approach.

Round 18

IN AN EXPRESS PREVIEW OF THE 2016 AFL SEASON, ADAM BALDWIN, RILEY BEVERIDGE AND BEN WATERWORTH DISCUSS THE MAJOR PRE-SEASON TALKING POINTS AND HOW THEY WILL SHAPE THE HOME AND AWAY SEASON

Balic loomed as a first-round pick after winning All-Australian honours representing Victoria Metro, but he slid to pick No. 38 after failing to participate in the combine.

The Sandringham Dragons product represented Victoria in basketball at junior level and was brought into level two of the AFL Academy program after an impressive finish to the 2014 TAC season.

A classy midfielder who is strong overhead, Balic’s playing style and journey to the AFL has drawn comparisons to Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury.

When the Dockers drafted Balic, his father joked that he’d give him $70,000 to remain at home with the close-knit family.