St Kilda guns Tim Membrey and Seb Ross have headed home to locked down Melbourne and will likely miss the Saints' next AFL game.
The key pair have left the Saints' interim base in Sydney due to family reasons.
Midfielder Ross and his wife recently welcomed twin babies, while key forward Membrey's partner is due to give birth soon.
St Kilda are scheduled to play Adelaide in Cairns on Saturday night and it is unlikely the duo would be able to return to the group in time due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The city of Melbourne is under lockdown until at least Thursday night.
Membrey is leading St Kilda's goal-kicking this year with 18.18, while Ross is a two-time best-and-fairest winner and has been in solid form.
It is the latest blow for the Saints, who lost luckless veteran Jarryn Geary to a dislocated shoulder in their heartbreaking nine-point loss to Sydney at the SCG on Saturday, which saw last year's semi-finalists slump to 5-7.
Out-of-form forward Max King battled through the contest with a back issue.
Livewire forward Jack Higgins endured a difficult game against the Swans, kicking 1.6, including missing crucial shots late in the contest.
St Kilda chief operating officer Simon Lethlean said the club took umbrage with several websites calling the 22-year-old 'Missy' Higgins, in reference to the famous Australian musician.
"No one likes young athletes being scrutinised with negativity, but our job is to put support around those players here," Lethlean told SEN
"I put a call into the AFL, I think the AFL (Media) saw fit without us getting involved to change the headline yesterday.
"We've got enough on our plates up here to deal with internally and the complexities of being away from home...I guess we let the media decide on balance what's appropriate and what's not."
