Collingwood forward Alan Didak faces the standard nine to 10-month recovery from his knee reconstruction, meaning a delayed start to the next AFL season.

Didak was hopeful on Monday that he might be ready by round one next year, because he would undergo a partial reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

But his surgeon Julian Feller told journalists on Tuesday that was unlikely.

Didak was scheduled to undergo the operation on Tuesday night.

"I normally work on about nine to 10 months for a return to sport if everything is going well," Feller told the Nine Network.

"Anything less than that would be a bonus."

The Magpies' preparation for next season has started disastrously, with Brodie Holland's six-game suspension after the elimination final loss to the Western Bulldogs meaning he is out of action until round seven.

Didak will now probably not return until June or July.

"We'll see how the operation goes today and work towards getting back to full recovery," Didak said on Tuesday as he entered hospital.

A routine arthroscopy last week revealed the ligament damage, two days after Didak had received his first All-Australian selection.

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