WAGGA footballer Matt Suckling has revealed there were moments during finals where he questioned whether his knee would be right to return for the Hawks' premiership campaign.

Suckling is home in Wagga this week resting up after post-season surgery on his left kneecap, an injury sustained on the eve of finals that kept Suckling out of the Hawks' qualifying final win.

History shows that Suckling was able to return for Hawthorn's preliminary win over Port Adelaide, and then got to experience the "highlight" of his life when he helped the Hawks to an AFL grand final victory over Sydney.

Little did many know that Suckling was almost the hard luck story for a second year running.

He missed the 2013 premiership win after a knee reconstruction in the pre-season and a kneecap injury almost prevented this year's fairytale story from coming to life.

"Yeah it wasn't really doing too well for a couple of weeks there," Suckling said.

"A few thoughts started going through the back of my mind where I thought I might be sitting on the sidelines for the last couple of games.

"The medicos were confident...we knew I couldn't do any more damage so we took the punt."

Suckling and Hawthorn's medical team picked the preliminary final as his return date.

"They thought if I played in the prelim and go through that, that I'd be right for the grand final," he said.

Suckling admits he was not 100 per cent for the grand final, but it did not stop him as he gathered 18 disposals and kicked a goal in the 63-point win.

"Trying to change direction wasn't great, it was my kicking leg too," he said.

"You play with a little bit of discomfort at that time of year so it didn't matter too much.

"Grand final week it felt pretty good."

Part of suckling's left kneecap actually broke away "a bit".

Suckling had surgery earlier in this month to remove the part of the kneecap that had been causing trouble.

The 26-year-old plans to be back running before Christmas and then hopes to resume full training after the break.

"It's a 12 week injury," he said.

"I will miss a little bit of the pre-season but be back into it after Christmas and in time for the NAB Cup.

"It's coming along well."

As for the fact he is now an AFL premiership player, Suckling said it is something he will never forget.

"It's obviously a special day...the best day of my football life and given I'm not married or don't have any kids yet, it would be the highlight (of my life) so far.

"It's something I'll be able to look back on and be pretty proud of."

Suckling's current contract finishes at the end of next year and he hopes for an injury-free 2015 season so he can extend his career further at Hawthorn.