Richmond utility Brett Deledio will miss the remainder of the 2016 season after being unable to overcome the calf injury he sustained in Round 17.

While the 29-year-old hasn’t suffered a setback, the persistent injury has restricted his ability to progress his running program to the point that he’s available to play.

Richmond’s General Manager of Football, Dan Richardson said that while Deledio is disappointed, he’s now focused on preparing for a full pre-season in readiness for the 2017 home-and-away season.

“Brett loves to compete with his teammates each week, but unfortunately he won’t make it back in time to play this season,” Richardson said.

“Brett’s an outstanding leader both on and off the field, and an important player in our team; we look forward to him being available for the start of pre-season.”

“We’re confident with a full pre-season we’ll see Brett playing more consistently next year, after missing a number of games this season due to injury.”

Deledio sustained the injury during Richmond’s Round 17 win over Essendon, he did not complete the match after experiencing calf soreness during the half-time break