WEST Coast midfielder Elijah Hewett will fly east to consult with a physiotherapist at the Australian Ballet after his pre-season was halted by a foot issue he has previously played through.
Hewett has been on a modified training program this summer because of sesamoiditis, an overuse injury that is common among dancers that causes pain and inflammation in the ball of the foot.
The 19-year-old played through the issue in his Draft year and again in 2023, when he showed exciting glimpses of his talent in 14 games, but the Eagles have decided to take a long-term path with his management.
Hewett will work with Dr Sue Mayes, who is the principal physiotherapist at the Australian Ballet and has consulted with multiple sporting bodies, including the AFL and Cricket Australia, to build his foot and leg strength.
The Eagles have not publicised a timeline for Hewett's recovery, with the club launching its season against Port Adelaide on March 17 in just over six weeks.
"Elijah has had some sesamoid pain for the last couple of years that he’s been playing with," West Coast high performance manager Mat Inness said.
"He’s still aware of the symptoms so we are going to send him to see a specialist physio who deals with these things regularly and we’ll provide an update in due course as to Elijah’s progress."
cHewett joins forward Liam Ryan (hamstring) and premiership midfielder Dom Sheed (ankle) on the sidelines, with young wingman Campbell Chesser being managed this week and again training lighly on Wednesday.
Second-year midfielder Reuben Ginbey is building his training loads this week after a period of management, while club champion Tim Kelly is close to joining full training again after a hamstring setback.
