Wellington, Sept 23 NZPA - A-League soccer club Wellington Phoenix will be without first-team regular Tony Lochhead for at least eight weeks after it was today confirmed the New Zealand international would require surgery on his injured groin.

Lochhead has been playing with a left adductor injury since the World Cup in June, though a specialist today confirmed a tear had occurred and the defender will undergo surgery next week.

The versatile Manny Muscat looms as his obvious replacement and is expected to start tomorrow night's match here against North Queensland Fury at left back.

Lochhead will miss the All Whites' home internationals against Paraguay and Honduras next month.