Young Hawthorn dasher Bailey Macdonald is set for a stint on the sidelines after suffering bone stress in his leg.
The club revealed on Monday that the teenager will be placed on a modified program with a plan to progress with caution in his recovery.
His latest setback is likely to see him miss upcoming pre-season action in the brown and gold.
"It's unfortunate news for Bailey, who has had a strong pre-season to date," Hawks high-performance boss Peter Burge said.
"Bailey has already begun working through his rehab program and we will look to progressively increase his load in the coming weeks.
"With Bailey being a young player, we will take a conservative approach during his recovery.
"Thankfully, this injury has been detected early and Bailey is in a good position to allow it to heal as soon as possible."
The 19-year-old played two games in his maiden season last year, making his debut in Round 12 against the Power before returning for a win over the Bulldogs 10 weeks later.
The speedy half-back recorded 15 disposals and five rebound 50s after being subbed into his second match, showing plenty of run and poise in Sam Mitchell's defence.
Hawthorn's 2024 campaign will open on Saturday, March 16 against Essendon at the MCG - an outing that will follow a pair of pre-season practice matches against the Western Bulldogs.
