Key midfielder Heath Hocking will undergo surgery to correct an ongoing groin problem.

The surgery is aimed to help alleviate the discomfort that Hocking experienced throughout the 2014 season.

General Manager - Football Performance Neil Craig said that although it is an unfortunate set back, the surgery will provide much needed relief for the midfielder.

"He played sore a fair bit last year with those groins and did a fantastic job, particularly in the role that he plays picking up some of the best players in the competition every week," Craig said.

"You can imagine going into a game feeling a bit sore and having to do that, so it's a great credit to what Heath's been able to achieve.”

The 26-year-old recently spent 12 days living in the high altitude room at the True Value Solar Centre in an attempt to regain fitness heading into the 2015 campaign.

“We really couldn’t ask anymore from Heath, he’s gone far above what we wanted him to do to try and get fit,” Craig said.

"It's not major surgery, but in terms of rehab and recuperation it's somewhere in between six and seven weeks before he's back into full training.”

It is hopeful that Hocking will be back in action on the training tack within six weeks of undergoing surgery.