Despite treading in “unchartered territory”, injury-ridden defender Alex Johnson is maintaining his positive attitude ahead of a fifth knee reconstruction.

Johnson will be the first player to undergo a fifth major knee operation which has come about after three seasons on the sidelines, a traditional and two LARS reconstructions plus a host of other operations to repair continual complications.

With the odds stacked heavily against him, Johnson is refusing to concede defeat as the 24-year-old strives for that elusive comeback game.

“It has been tough, it’s unchartered territory but I’m looking forward to being the first player to come back from five reconstructions,” he told Matthew Richardson, Mick Molloy and Luke Darcy on Saturday Night Footy.

“I have never once thought about giving up. It can get pretty lonely in the dungeon below the ground at the SCG, sitting on the bike or boxing.

“You can sometimes ask yourself whether it’s all worth it but I just want to keep going and get back to playing footy so I’ll never give up.”

Johnson’s next operation, a second traditional knee reconstruction, is scheduled for later this season.