It was round eight, 2016.

He went on to play in two Hampden league premierships with a serious hamstring injury.

Templeton had surgery two weeks ago and will start his rehabilitation in a month’s time.

“I had it for a year and a half and didn’t realise it was so bad,” he said.

“With the surgery they ended up opening me up and most of the tendon was off the bone.”

The two-time Maskell Medallist and six-time Hampden league premiership player described the surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne as “sort of like sewing up a blanket”.

“It’s not a really common thing. The doctor in Geelong said only a couple of surgeons would have a crack at it,” Templeton said.

“(Recovery) varies from person to person – some people it’s a year, some it’s six months and some it’s 14 weeks.”

Templeton played most of the 2016 season with the injury but was restricted to eight matches this year.

He returned in July and suffered a career-first concussion and a fractured eye socket before playing in the Saints’ league-equalling fourth straight flag.

“As far as training, I haven’t properly trained since round eight, 2016,” Templeton said.

“I had to watch what I did and I didn’t do any pre-season or running this year, so I am looking forward to getting back into it.

“It started off as tendonitis and that’s why it got so old and haggard on the outside of the tendon and it pulled away from the bone but not all of it. It was holding on by a bit so I was sort of lucky.”

Templeton visited the surgeon on Thursday for an update and was told his “scar had healed up all right”.