ST KILDA half-back Sam Gilbert could remain sidelined for another 10 weeks after fresh scans showed a stress fracture in his left foot had not recovered.
Gilbert had surgery for the stress fracture in early February, with a screw inserted into his metatarsal bone, and his rehabilitation allowed him to play in round one.
He reinjured the same foot against West Coast in round three, however, and the initial four-week timeframe for his return has now blown out.
Club physio Andrew Wallis said scans on Monday showed the original fracture had not united, with another period of rest now required for the 27-year-old.
Head of football Chris Pelchen said the Saints would assess Gilbert's return date as his recovery progressed.
"Obviously we are disappointed that Sam's foot injury hasn't repaired to the extent we had anticipated," Pelchen said.
"We will reassess his recovery in coming weeks before being able to determine a more exact date for his return."
Gilbert, who travelled to New Zealand in a moonboot to take part in the Saints' Anzac Day activities, played just nine games in 2013 because of a knee injury.
