ST KILDA small forward Jack Higgins will miss a second straight week after entering the AFL's health and safety protocols on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old didn’t make the trip across to South Australia to face Adelaide on the weekend after suffering a concussion against Geelong in round nine.
AFL.com.au understands Higgins is yet to pass some of the stages to exit concussion protocols and won't be able to until he returns from isolation next week.
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Hawthorn ruckman Max Lynch found himself in the same situation earlier this season, testing positive for COVID-19 before he had exited concussion protocols, delaying his return to action.
Players are required to tick off a range of assessments across a 12-day period after they suffer a concussion, before they are cleared to return to action.
St Kilda has its mid-season bye in round 12, providing Higgins with some extra time to exit concussion protocols ahead of the Saints’ next clash against Brisbane on June 11.
Higgins had been in the All-Australian discussion after kicking 14 goals across his first five games of the season, but has now sat out two rounds and played a quarter or less of the two games he suffered concussions in.
The former Tiger was also concussed early in a game against Richmond in round three and was forced to miss the next week.
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Brett Ratten's side moved to 7-3 after beating the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night and will enter Sunday's game against North Melbourne as heavy favourites ahead of the mid-season bye.
St Kilda captain Jack Steele has started to increase his rehabilitation program at RSEA Park this week after undergoing shoulder surgery last week.
The two-time All-Australian is expected to miss up to two months, but the early indication is Steele could be closer to the six-week block, which could end up being five games with a bye included.
St Kilda's match committee will consider recalling Hunter Clark after the former first-round pick impressed in his second game back from shoulder surgery.
Clark finished with 31 disposals and seven clearances against Carlton's VFL side at Ikon Park on Sunday, producing a more impactful performance after a solid return a fortnight earlier.
Luckless midfielder Dan Hannebery completed some training drills at Moorabbin on Tuesday morning after returning from Munich where he spent time working with a world-renowned soft tissue specialist.
There is still no timeframe on the three-time All Australian's return to play, with Hannebery remaining optimistic he can play a role in St Kilda's road to September.
