The Western Bulldogs have suffered a double injury blow, with Jason Akermanis and Liam Picken both set for stints on the sidelines.
And young midfielder-forward Callan Ward is also set for a significantly longer absence with a groin injury than originally expected.
Veteran forward Akermanis is expected to miss the AFL club’s next two matches – against former club Brisbane and Adelaide – with a hamstring injury sustained against Hawthorn on Sunday.
Defender Picken will be out until mid-season with an ankle injury picked up in the same match.
Picken will have surgery this week, with the Bulldogs expecting him to miss up to eight matches.
Ward, who has missed the opening three rounds after injuring his groin in the preseaon cup grand final, is now expected to miss another six games.
It had been hoped he would be ready to return within the next week or two.
But the injury has not recovered as hoped, with the club now planning to rest him for the next two or three weeks, before attempting to build up his training load.
In some good news, defender Ryan Hargrave is expected to be available to play the Lions, despite being stretchered off in the opening minutes against the Hawks, after being flattened by a heavy bump from Brent Renouf.
Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson is also expected to be sidelined for several games, after injuring his hamstring in the same match.
St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt had hamstring surgery on Monday to repair the tendon damaged against Collingwood on Friday night.
The key forward is likely to be out until well into the second half of the season.