GEELONG captain Joel Selwood expects to return to pre-season training in January after undergoing hamstring surgery.

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

Selwood played 23 games this season, including Geelong's three finals, despite the issue.

For now it is unclear what the surgery means for the 31-year-old’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.

CAL TWOMEY'S 2019 PHANTOM DRAFT Top 30, your club's whispers

"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.