The club confirmed the news that Beltrame is suffering from a significant lateral meniscus tear of the left knee and will be out of action until March 2009.

Beltrame had an arthroscope back in May in an attempt to repair the damage, and he was hopeful that he would be able to take part in the season. However, those aspirations have now been dashed with this latest prognosis.

“The knee has been struggling, it has been swelling up constantly and I haven’t been able to train properly for 10-12 weeks so it’s no good,” Beltrame said.

“I had an arthroscope to try and clear the damage but the knee just hasn’t come up right.”

Upset that his knee has not responded positively after the operation, Beltrame said the setback was a low point of his career but that he would keep persisting and working hard to recover.

“It’s very, very disappointing. I’m gutted, it’s not a good thing that before the season starts you find out you’re not going to be part of it, but in the end you just have to move on and get on with it,” Beltrame said.

“I will keep training and working hard with my rehabilitation because I am still contracted to the club and hopefully I can recover and get through this.”

The 32 year old keeper, who has made 41 appearances between the posts for Adelaide, has a year left to run on his contract.

With Beltrame ruled out for the season, 17 year old Mark Birighitti will become the Reds’ second keeper behind Eugene Galekovic.