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Sydney defender Nick Smith could be forced into retirement because of a serious hamstring injury but the veteran is determined to return in the 2020 AFL season.

Nick Smith is determined to return from a hamstring injury that threatens to end his impressive AFL career, with the Sydney veteran adopting the same resilient mindset as Western Bulldogs backman Dale Morris.

Smith, a key part of the Swans' 2012 premiership and a 2014 All-Australian defender, hasn't played since round 21 of the 2018 season.

The 31-year-old has undergone several rounds of surgery to fix a hamstring tendon that had disconnected from the bone.

Smith won't know whether the latest operation has been a success for four or five months, when he hopes to be fit enough to attempt some sprint work.

He wants to play on in 2020 and has parked contract negotiations with the Swans until the end of this season.

"We'll come to that - sort of negotiation I guess - at the end of the year," Smith told reporters at an Auskick clinic in Sydney.

"If the club want me and I can still go around, that's good. If not, that's life.

"If I was the club - I'm 31 and haven't played for a year - I don't know if I'd call it a risk but do they give a young guy an opportunity? It probably depends on how the side is going.

"There's a lot of balls up in the air ... I'm pretty easy with that, we'll work it out as it comes."

Smith is adamant he'll be ready to return next year if passed fit.

"If you're mentally ready and the body holds up, why should age be any reason why you shouldn't play? Dale Morris is 36 and I saw he said the same thing," he said.

"Maybe it is a good thing. You have a year off footy and start feeling fresh again in other bits of your body, where you'd actually been a bit sore.

"There's just so many unknowns. I don't know what is going to happen, the club doesn't either."

Smith, who initially attempted to return without surgery in 2018, was recently told he required another major operation and was no chance of playing in 2019.

"I was pretty upset and disappointed," he said.

"But I had the surgery a couple of weeks ago ... I'll get back to rehab, help out the young guys.

"Those young guys have been exceptional this year ... all I can do is try to contribute by helping those guys. I think you can still have an impact when injured."