Premiership forward Kai Lohmann was subbed out of Saturday's clash with St Kilda following a suspected sternum concern, while the Saints made their own sub change in the opening half before being reduced to three on the bench.
A heavy collision with Saints defender Liam Stocker early into the game left Lohmann hampered as he came from the field, with the small forward spending some time on the interchange before eventually returning to action.
He would again require medical assessment before the main break, with the Lions deciding against making their sub change as the third term commenced.
Lohmann started the second half on the field but was eventually subbed out of the game, with the club eventually revealing that the change was made due to tactical purposes.
Kai Lohmann copped a heavy hit on the brink of quarter-time ๐ค
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The sub call for Lohmann adds to an interrupted 2025 campaign for the Lions livewire, who was subbed off in his two prior matches this year due to an ankle concern, which forced him to miss further matches.
Lions coach Chris Fagan spoke post-match on the 21-year-old's injury.
"He can't take a trick at the moment, Kai," Fagan said.
"He sort of got injured in the first game, and then came back against Geelong and rolled his ankle again, and now tonight he's got a whack on the shoulder.
"But hopefully it's just going to be one of those things that takes three or four days to settle โฆ He's coughing and spluttering at the moment, trying to actually finish a game. He hasn't finished a game this year."
Meanwhile, the Saints made their tactical sub change midway through the second term without any injury concern, with second-year midfield-forward Hugo Garcia taken out of the game for tactical purposes.
Garcia had collected four touches and two marks before being replaced by Zak Jones with eight minutes left in the opening half.
The Saints made a similar move last week, bringing Jones, who was the Round 6 tactical sub, into the game after half-time for Liam Henry.
Ross Lyon was down to three on the interchange before the final break as veteran Mason Wood was ruled out of the match following a head knock. A failed head injury assessment means Wood will enter concussion protocols, ruling him out of his side's Round 8 game against Fremantle.
