ESSENDON'S Zach Reid will be on a modified training program until at least January after his troublesome back flared up.
Scans revealed Reid was suffering from back-related stress and the club will ease back his pre-season training given his history of back issues.
Reid, 20, was sidelined for the second half of his debut season in 2021 with a stress fracture in his back but recovered to play seven senior games in 2022 despite a pre-season foot injury.
The Bombers said Reid had enjoyed a strong pre-season to date.
"Zach has been impressive during the off-season without missing a session since players returned on November 21. He’s been training at a really high level but has shown slight discomfort in recent days," Essendon GM of performance Daniel McPherson said.
"After consulting with the club’s high-performance team today, the club has decided to allow him the time to rest and recover with a modified program.
"He is a natural talent with elite athleticism and his professionalism will give him the best chance to recover. The club hopes to build him back up when the team returns in January."
