Western Bulldogs midfielder Lachie Hunter will step away from AFL for an indefinite period as he deals with "personal issues" that have taken a toll on his health.
The Bulldogs released a statement saying Hunter would be tackling "some individual challenges, which have affected his health and wellbeing".
The team said the 27-year-old had been dealing with these issues for "a period of time".
"After some recent internal discussions, it has been determined and agreed with Lachie that the best course of action is for him to spend some time away from the club while he addresses his personal issues," the team's head of football, Chris Grant, said.
"We will continue to support Lachie during his leave of absence, with his personal wellbeing the sole focus for everyone in the immediate term.
"During this period of absence from the football program Lachie will not play at either AFL or VFL level.
"We expect that Lachie's privacy will be respected during this period."
The 2016 premiership player has appeared in all five of the Bulldogs' games to start the 2022 season.
