WESTERN Bulldogs defender Ryan Hargrave will be out for at least another month after developing more complications from the foot problem he endured over the summer.

The 29-year-old had two off-season operations to fix an issue he first developed after having his ankle reconstructed in late 2006, and didn't play seniors until round eight against Richmond.

He was then withdrawn from the Dogs' side that lost to Hawthorn in round 10 before returning for his only other game for the season, the round 11 loss to Geelong.

Coach Rodney Eade said that while the complaint had not worsened in recent weeks, Hargrave, who was kept indoors at Thursday's session at Whitten Oval, was set for a spell on the sidelines until it settled. 

"He hasn't trained yet. He'll be a couple of weeks away from getting back on the track," he said.

"We would think he's four to five weeks away before playing.

"There's just been a bit of pain in the joint, and maybe the plate he had put in there might be touching the joint.

"He's had scans and there's no hot spots, there's no more damage at all.

"From that point of view they were good scans, so from a career point of view it's no worries."

Hargrave was troubled by the injury early last year before undergoing an operation in October that fused a joint along the top of his foot using bone from his hip.

It was then reinforced with a plate shortly before Christmas.

The Dogs' defence has faced many challenges this season with full-back Brian Lake's form and injury problems, Lindsay Gilbee's drop in form, Easton Wood's ankle issue that kept him out for six weeks and Jarrod Harbrow's defection to Gold Coast.

James Mulligan was the latest to be trialled in a key post, but he will miss this week after hurting his calf against St Kilda, while Lukas Markovic played the first eight games and made good progress.