St Kilda are unwilling to put a timetable on the return of luckless forward Paddy McCartin, as he continues to suffer from concussion symptoms after a head knock three weeks ago.

McCartin copped a hip to the head from teammate Ben Long in the Saintsโ€™ pre-season game against the Western Bulldogs.

The concussion was the 22-year-oldโ€™s eighth concussion in five years.

Saints coach Alan Richardson, who had forced McCartin to wear a helmet, indicated that it would be some time before the former No.1 draft pick was available for selection.

โ€œItโ€™s been three weeks now since the incident and paddy still has some symptoms,โ€ Richardson told reporters at RSEA Park on Friday.

โ€œThatโ€™s going to take a while.

โ€œWe canโ€™t really put a timeframe on when it is that heโ€™ll be back training flat-out or playing.โ€

McCartin joins Dan Hannebery, Jake Carlisle, Max King, Jack Bytel, and Dylan Roberton as Saints set to miss significant time in 2019.