St Kilda AFLW defender Jayde Van Dyk has been shifted to the Saints' inactive list ahead of the new season, as she continues her ACL rehabilitation.
Van Dyk's injury, suffered last September, has been more bothersome than anticipated, with medical professionals advising a return this season is unlikely.
As a result of Van Dyk's unfortunate setback, the Saints will have the opportunity to add an injury replacement player to their list.
St Kilda Head of AFLW Tessie McManus expressed her disappointment that Van Dyk had to be moved to the inactive list, noting it was a tough discussion to have.
"It's always a difficult conversation to have when it comes to moving a player to the inactive list, especially one of Jayde's importance to the side," McManus said in Wednesday's club statement.
"We assessed multiple options in the hopes Jayde would be available for months ahead, however we came to a decision that more time to recover from serious injury would be best for her and the team.
"While we're obviously disappointed for Jayde, she has handled it with the professionalism we've come to expect from her and we will continue to support her during her rehabilitation."
McManus added that the identity of St Kilda's replacement player is set to be announced imminently.
"Jayde's willingness to commit to the team's needs will allow us to bring a new player onto our list, which we'll confirm in the coming days."