MELBOURNE star Clayton Oliver has been ruled out of the King's Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood as he remains in hospital with an infected blister.
The Brownlow Medal contender was expected to return for Monday's match at the MCG after missing the past two games with a hamstring strain.
But a blister on his foot has caused the ace midfielder significant issues and Demons coach Simon Goodwin said Oliver will stay in hospital until at least Sunday.
"I did promise he was going to play, didn't I? But I am going to have to go back on that word because he's definitely not playing," Goodwin said on Friday.
"He's still in hospital with an infected foot so that was pretty serious at the time, the infection, so he'll probably end up with five days in hospital.
"He's obviously on some pretty strong antibiotics to try and get the infection under control.
"It's all pretty positive, but it needs to be continued the next few days in hospital.
"We're pretty hopeful that once he gets through that period it's going to be a pretty fast transition back.
"Like all infections, these things happen and we're going to work our way through it and come out the other side better.
"He's in good spirits. He wants to play footy. He's got a lot of love and care and support around him with his teammates and a lot of people have gone in to see him in hospital."
Goodwin said versatile key-position player Joel Smith also suffered a nasty infection earlier in the year.
"It's just a blister that's gone wrong," Goodwin added on Oliver.
"It's got infected and it's blown up so we deal with it as we go through but it was pretty serious and happened pretty quickly.
"All indications are that it is tracking in the right direction, it is on the right path and it is getting better.
"But we just need to see the treatment through and that's the advice we're getting from the medical department that by Sunday, it's likely that he will come out."
The ladder-leading Magpies are on an eight-game winning streak but will be without their own star midfielder with Jordan De Goey serving a three-game suspension for his high bump on West Coast youngster Elijah Hewett.
Oliver's absence could open the door for Taj Woewodin, son of 2000 Brownlow medallist Shane, to make his AFL debut for Melbourne.
Woewodin has been performing well at VFL level for the Casey Demons and the 20-year-old midfielder has been close to stepping up for a number of weeks.
Up to 90,000 fans are expected at the MCG for the clash between two premiership contenders, but Melbourne is bracing for the Collingwood crowd to be loud.
During Friday's training session at Casey Fields, players ran around as a "Collingwood, Collingwood" chant blasted out on the speakers.
