JARRAD Grant is heading back to school, with Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney forecasting a role in opposition analysis while the forward's fractured foot heals.
Grant was dealt a cruel blow last week when he cracked his left foot when he landed on in a tackle at training.
He had surgery on Monday and will wear a moon boot for the next six weeks, which means he will likely miss the start of the season.
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The Dogs aren't putting a timeline on his playing availability, with the 24-year-old to review with his surgeon when the boot comes off.
The 58-gamer will spend the next month and a half developing his game sense and outside life, with the Bulldogs to focus on the positive outcomes of his forced hiatus.
"We have a great opportunity now to put some good conditioning into him and broaden his game sense," McCartney told AFL.com.au this week.
"We're going to put him to work with some opposition analysis and help develop the mental side of his game.
"He's also got a unique opportunity to put his toe in the water with other things in life too and look at careers away from the game and his future life.
"The prognosis is, he'll mend and get back to playing. He'll bounce back and resume his career."
McCartney said injuries like Grant's were inevitable in pre-season, with players needing to put in repeat efforts and competitive work at training to keep up with the powerful nature of the game.
Grant didn't play seniors until round 16 last year because of a long stint in the VFL.
McCartney said his breakthrough late in the season - when he played the final eight games and kicked 13 goals - wasn't so much because "the penny dropped", but more so because their communication improved.
"We may have got to know each other a little better and he got to that age where physically and mentally he's probably dealing with the game a little bit better," he said.
"He just might have got tired of everyone … I don't know if you'd call it taking pot shots but he was running commentary, wasn't he?
"He was on everyone's agenda and … maybe he just got sick of being that person."
Meanwhile, the Dogs believe Shaun Higgins is close to full training and will be available towards the start of the season.
The 25-year-old hasn't played since round three last season when he fractured his left navicular bone against Richmond.
The navicular is the tricky foot bone that has limited blood supply and traditionally takes a long time to heal, as was the case with James Hird and Jack Trengove in the past.
McCartney acknowledged Higgins' "significant injury" but believed he could return to solid form having developed more "conviction in the contest" while out.
"It will prove to be almost a 12-month injury before he's back playing," he said.
"He is running three or four times a week now, in a controlled manner, upping the ante with his skills and change of direction stuff.
"With a foot injury, being able to load your foot and push off and change direction is pivotal.
"He'll be back in training in the next two weeks and we're confident he'll be playing at the start of the year.
"We believe Shaun will get back to playing some really good footy and when he's had a good crack at it in the last two or three years and has been fit and functional, he's played some great footy and he's the first to admit he's worked hard to add some things to his game."
