RICHMOND defender Chris Newman will be back in training in the coming weeks, but is unlikely to play in round one after a successful heart operation on Wednesday.

The Tigers revealed on Tuesday that the veteran defender had experienced "some discomfort" at training, which saw him have tests that confirmed a cardiac arrhythmia.

The 32-year-old subsequently met with a specialist before undergoing a procedure to correct the issue.

He was expected to miss the final two weeks of pre-season training and coach Damien Hardwick said he was unlikely to be available for the Tigers' season opener against Carlton on April 2. 

"We'll take that off the table at this stage and make sure we get him right and available for round two," Hardwick said on Thursday morning. 

"It was a successful operation, so it's not a major concern for us.

"It's no so much the operation, it's the healing process of the wound that's the concern."

Earlier this week, football manager Dan Richardson said the operation was "relatively straightforward and has been done successfully in many high-level athletes, including AFL footballers".

Newman, who has played 251 games, is heading into his 15th AFL season.