Croad, 28, was operated on last Friday to restitch the wound that was not healing as expected.
Hawks football manager Mark Evans told the Herald Sun newspaper that Croad would continue to be on a modified training program.
"There are some problems with a lack of skin in that part of the foot," he said.
"The injury points of the previous surgery required more attention and didn't heal the way we wanted. We weren't happy with the way it settled so we had to look at it again."
Croad still hopes to return to football mid-season, but his preparation will be low-key, starting with walking and cycling.
"He'll still be on a fairly modified program at least for a couple of months," Evans said.
Croad had been battling stress fractures and needed painkillers to play for the final month of the season. He broke his foot 11 minutes into the second quarter of the Toyota AFL Grand Final.
