St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton has begun a three-month monitoring period to examine the cause of an irregular heartbeat that surfaced in Round 4.
Last week, Roberton had a device implanted to monitor his heart rate over the next three months.
"I've had a little device implanted in my chest which just feeds in what my heart's doing to the doctors and their computers, so they'll be able to pick up what's happening," Roberton said at a press conference on Thursday morning.
"We're still not sure as to why it happened so I'll still be out
While doctors believe there is only a minor chance of the issue reoccurring, all precautions need to be taken before he returns to full training.
"I probably won't get back again this year, but I'm hoping at the end of these three months to get back to exercise and hopefully finish off the year back training with the boys."
See all the latest injury updates
Roberton will be assessed regularly over the upcoming period before having further tests to determine if things have returned to normal.
"Obviously the heart's a pretty important organ to the body," Roberton said tongue-in-cheek.
"Understandably, they've taken all the precautions, so I just have to miss a bit of footy.
"We're hoping everything goes well, and with all this testing over the next three months, I'll get the all clear."
Roberton and his partner Amy have three young children, who the 26-year-old said
"It definitely does (put things into perspective)," Roberton said.
"Footy means a lot to me but obviously being healthy and being there for my kids is the most important thing."
While he awaits the outcome of the testing, Roberton is permitted to complete light exercise and is expected to take on an off-field role to support his teammates on game-day and during the week.
"We’ve presented him with a whistle. He's a coach from this day forward, for a little while anyway," senior coach Alan Richardson confirmed.
Roberton has already studied a Level Two AFL Coaching Course, and Richardson expects the defender to revel in his interim position.
"He's got a great footy brain, Robbo," Richardson said.
"He's got really good relationships with the boys and we've got some young defenders coming through, so that's going to be his lot for a while."
Get your Halo On for 2018
The 2017 All-Australian nominee will be sorely missed in the Saints' backline though, and Richardson is eager for the classy backman to return to full health.
"We're really hopeful and optimistic that at the back of these three months he gets the all clear, and we take the whistle back and he puts his footy boots back on."
Roberton will watch on as the Saints face the Demons this Sunday afternoon in a must-win fixture for the home side.
