No date for Dan Hannebery return as former Swan steps away from St Kilda’s leadership group

Dan Hannebery says he can’t put a date on an expected return after St Kilda coach Alan Richardson confirmed the recruit was relieved of his leadership duties to focus on his fitness.

Dan Hannebery says he can’t put a date on an expected return after St Kilda coach Alan Richardson confirmed the recruit was relieved of his leadership duties to focus on his fitness.

Hannebery was traded to the Saints from Sydney on the last day of the exchange period and was immediately named as one of his new club’s leaders.

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But the midfielder’s losing battle with his body has taken priority.

Hannebery told Channel 7 he was concentrating on getting back out on the field.

“It’s a mutual decision. Obviously I haven’t had the back half of the pre-season I would have liked, I’ve had a few little niggles there,” he said.

“At the moment just trying to put all my energy and focus into getting my body right, getting back to full fitness and trying to repay the faith the club’s put in me.”

Dan Hannebery is no longer in St Kilda’s leadership group. Picture: Michael Klein

Hannebery said he couldn’t put a date on his expected return.

“I’m not going to put an exact date on it, but I’m hoping to play some level of football in the next 4-6 weeks, around that frame — depending how everything’s going, hopefully some time in the not too distant future,” he said.

“Everything would have to go right ... I’m confident from here on in we’ll have no hiccups, but I’ve said that before.”

Richardson said Hannebery needed to “focus solely on getting himself into a position where he can deliver on his potential to help our team be better.”

“The club wants Dan 100 per cent focused on getting back to his best and let his performances do the talking.”

Dan Hannebery has battled calf and hamstring issues. Picture: Getty Images

The decision has raised more concerns about Hannebery’s short term future and St Kilda’s due diligence in recruiting him on a long-term contract.

Richardson said the Saints’ fitness staff have now “got a handle” on what has to be done to get the three-time All-Australian available to play.

“We knew about his training history, or lack thereof, that he’d really struggled to get the time in,” Richardson last week told SEN.

“Did we think it was going to be as significant as this? No, we didn’t. But we did know that we were getting in a bloke that we needed, to some extent, to rebuild. Probably not to this extent, but that’s OK.

“He’s here for a long time, he’s not here for a short time. If it means he’s not with us for a month longer than we thought, that’s fine.

“We think overall he is going to be enormous for our group.”

Coaching great Mick Malthouse questioned St Kilda’s decision to chase Hannebery in his Sunday Herald Sun column.

“The Saints went hard at Dylan Shiel and Devon Smith, but missed out,” Malthouse wrote.

“They continued to pursue a big name and chased Hannebery, who will not only not start the season for them, but one has to wonder just how many games he will play over his five-year contract, and more importantly, how well he will play when he does.”

Originally published as No date for Dan Hannebery return as former Swan steps away from St Kilda’s leadership group