Melbourne key forward Mitch Clark will miss the rest of the AFL season as he struggles to recover from his foot injury.
Clark played the first four rounds of the season, but has been out of action since then.
The former Brisbane player posted on Twitter he was “shattered”, but hopeful he would be ready for the start of next season.
Melbourne football operations manager Josh Mahoney said Clark had run out of time with six rounds left.
“The club has reassessed Mitch’s foot injury on a weekly basis and projected timelines for when he would be available to play AFL football,” Mahoney told the AFL website.
“It is now clear that there is insufficient time left in the season for him to fully recover and achieve appropriate match fitness preventing him from making a successful return to AFL football.
“The focus will now switch to his preparation for preseason training and a successful return to football in 2014.”
Clark first hurt his foot last year and has only played 15 games since joining the Demons from Brisbane at the end of 2011.