Melbourne's Jack Viney is unlikely to return to the field, according to champion and former Demons co-captain Garry Lyon.
Viney was withdrawn late from Round 17's clash after experiencing early signs of bone stress after Round 16, with his troublesome foot having prevented him from playing until Round 9.
“I can’t see him playing again this year,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“I have no information, I’m reading between the lines. He hasn’t started running. He has missed a month of footy, he would have been doing his strength and conditioning work, he hasn’t started running.
“Fresh in their minds will be this time last year where they played him in the last couple games to try and get the Demons into the finals and he had a relapse.
“They won’t be going down that path again. I just can’t see it."
Demons football manager Josh Mahoney said last week Viney would start running at the end of that week, but the stress on his toe has pushed him backwards.
The Demons are set to take on the Suns on Sunday.
