Gold Coast midfielder Pearce Hanley isn’t expected to return from a heel injury before round 10.
Hanley copped a bruised heel in a NEAFL encounter with Aspley on his return from a trip to Ireland for compassionate reasons.
Suns coach Rodney Eade told AFL.com.au that the injury hasn’t been getting better.
"They're a bugger of an injury," Eade said.
"We thought at the start that it could be three or four weeks."
Hanley could possibly be available for round eight, but wouldn’t be risked with the senior team playing in China and the NEAFL team playing in Darwin.
The Suns senior team has a bye in round nine.
"We'll take the longer term view to give him some training before he can play," Eade said.
"So it'll probably be after the bye."