Essendon have announced that Zach Reid will be on a modified training program heading into January after suffering a setback.
Reid has had a strong pre-season thus far, with scans now confirming that the 20-year-old is suffering stress in his lower back.
Essendon GM of Performance Dan McPherson said that the young Bomber had been "impressive" since returning to the club in November, but was hopeful he will ease back into training in January.
“Zach has been impressive during the off-season without missing a session since players returned on November 21," McPherson said.
"He's been training at a really high level but has shown slight discomfort in recent days. 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."
Reid managed just seven matches in 2022 after dealing with both back and foot issues. The 20-year-old was drafted by the Bombers in 2020, with Pick no.10.
