MELBOURNE defender Christian Salem has had another setback on his return from a thyroid issue, with a knee injury ruling him out indefinitely.
Coach Simon Goodwin announced this week that Salem had recovered from the recurring thyroid complaint and was available for selection, but the dashing defender's return to footy has been delayed again after experiencing soreness in his left knee.
The 27-year-old was sent for scans on Friday which revealed a small tear in his meniscus.
Melbourne's footy performance manager Alan Richardson said the defender was unavailable for Casey's VFL season-opener.
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"Christian has suffered an injury to his left knee and won't be available to play in Casey's VFL match on Saturday as planned," Richardson told melbournefc.com.au.
"He experienced some soreness following the main training session earlier in the week and scans have today revealed a small tear in his meniscus.
"We are still gathering further information and will be in a better position next week to understand what his rehabilitation program looks like."
Melbourne will face off against Brisbane on Friday night at the Gabba.