Geelong captain Joel Selwood expects to return to AFL pre-season training in January after underdoing hamstring surgery.

The three-time Cats premiership star revealed he had the procedure earlier this month after a tendon problem did not heal.

The 31-year-old midfielder played 23 games this season, including Geelong’s three finals, despite the issue.

For now it is unclear what the surgery means for Selwood”s pre-season schedule.

“It will be more just wait and see,” Selwood told Channel Seven.

“I will just wait and see how I feel and then react to the hamstring on that – train as I need to,” he said.

“I will be back in training throughout January at some stage, I’m sure.”

Selwood was also on a modified program last summer, but played in Geelong’s two pre-season games and then the first six rounds.

“I just had a slight hamstring tendon that was giving me a bit of trouble throughout the year,” Selwood said of his current problem.

“We tried to give it a bit of time off but decided that a bit of minor surgery would help it out a bit quicker than what was happening.

“I’ll just be a little bit slower than the boys early on in the pre-season and look to probably re-join them in the new year.”

Selwood has played 295 games for the Cats and is their longest-serving captain, taking over the role in 2012.