Essendon will be without key defender Ben McKay for their trip to Queensland as they prepare to face reigning premiers Brisbane on Thursday night.
McKay was already in doubt to take on the Lions with a foot issue, but Bombers coach Brad Scott confirmed the news on Monday.
The 27-year-old could be seen battling through the pain and injury during Friday's win over Richmond.
"He won't play this week," Essendon coach Brad Scott said.
"The short turnaround makes it too difficult. We're still assessing. He had a scan (Monday) morning.
"He'll be unavailable, but hopefully we'll have an update on where it sits."
The McKay news comes as the club is facing an injury crisis, which has seen a host of tall players downed by various issues.
Ruck duo Nick Bryan (ACL) and Sam Draper (Achilles) have been ruled out of the remainder of the year, as emerging defender Lewis Hayes suffered the same fate when tearing his ACL in his debutant game.
SSP product Tom Edwards' career began brightly, but he also injured his knee at training and will miss the early stages of 2026.
Jordan Ridley is dealing with persistent soft-tissue problems, and more recently, Harrison Jones (ankle), Zach Reid (hamstring) and Kyle Langford (quad) were added to the growing troubles at Essendon, while the uncertainty surrounding Nik Cox's battle with concussion is reason for concern.
"It's a different challenge for us," Scott added.
"We're in a difficult spot, in terms of availability, but the way I look at these things, it'll create opportunities for others."
Essendon have unveiled six debutants in 2025 thus far, and could potentially be set for more on Thursday against the Lions.
Wednesday's Mid-Season Draft could not have come at a better time for the Bombers, who have multiple list spots vacant due to the season-ending injuries to some of the aforementioned names.
VFL star ruckman Brayden Crossley appears to be the likeliest of selections given the reliance on veteran Todd Goldstein in the centre.
The void left by Draper and Bryan is too big for the former North Melbourne champion to shoulder solo, and Crossley, who spent time with the Western Bulldogs over the summer, appears ready for an AFL reprieve.
Former Geelong and Collingwood player Nathan Kreuger poses as a swingman option, having played at both ends to good effect in the reserves competition for the Cats.
Kreuger's teammate Charlie McCartin, brother of Sydney player Tom and former Pick 1 Paddy, is also pressing his claims for a top-flight opportunity as a key defender, playing in a similar vein to Tom.
