Melbourne defender Cale Morton will be sidelined for the next two months because of a knee injury.

The highly-regarded youngster tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a practice game against Essendon at Princes Park on Saturday.

The Demons said Morton, 20, who has played 40 games, would be sidelined for between eight and 10 weeks, which would likely rule him out of the first six rounds of the premiership season.

"This is obviously disappointing for Cale and for the team," Melbourne football manager Chris Connolly said.

"Cale is a vital player for us, and while this is a short-term hiccup, we look forward to having him back to complete a critical mass of the 2010 season."

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