WARNING: The content in the video contains graphic images that some viewers may find disturbing.
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The end-of-season clean-up is a term synonymous with professional sport.
It has become the norm to hear of AFL players going under the knife during the off-season.
Some players will go through their careers largely unscathed when it comes to the prevalence of surgeries, and others will have multiple.
The 2016 AFLPA Alumni survey revealed that 75 per cent of past players report receiving a serious injury during their career, while 56 per cent receiving six or more injuries during their playing career. Knee, shoulder, head and foot injuries are the most prevalent.
In the case of Richmond’s Jayden Short, it’s second time lucky when it comes to repairing his injured shoulder.
The dynamic speedster originally sustained the injury playing TAC Cup, before joining Richmond and finally understanding the magnitude of the injury.
In his AFL debut in Round 2, 2016, Short re-injured it against Collingwood, but believed the joint was stable enough and opted to not go down the surgery route.
As 2017 rolled around, the fleet-footed half-back again hurt the troublesome spot before deciding to go under the knife at season’s end.
In the video above, AFLPlayers.com.au was granted exclusive access behind-the-scenes of his surgery, just days after Richmond’s triumphant Grand Final win.
Watch as the 21-year-old goes through the consultation process with orthopaedic surgeon, John Salmon, and is then taken under the knife at St. Vincent’s Private Hospital in Kew.