The powerhouse midfielder hasn't played since last year's first semi-final loss to Wangaratta.

He served two weeks in suspensions from that game, but has now missed the losses to Wangaratta and Myrtleford.

"I've had a sore Achilles, I carried it through last year and just didn't get any better and it obviously got worse towards the end of the year," he said.

"I spent the off-season trying to get it better, but I haven't had any luck yet.

"I've been going to Melbourne a bit, I've done a few sessions with a guy who's helping me."

Ironically, Bonat's injury is related to a horror work place injury, involving fencing equipment, almost two years to the day.

Bonat underwent surgery to repair an artery after he suffered a 30cm gash to the inside of his left leg.

His current injury is on his right leg.

"I was compensating (for the injury) when I was running and obviously the good leg has taken a bit of a battering as well," he said.

"I had done little bits and pieces of running, but it's flared up again, I'm just in the process of slowly starting again and building it back up."

Bonat says he has given no thought to retirement.

And given his ferocious work ethic to return from the original injury in just over three months, nobody in the league would back against the rugged on-baller.

The Pigeons are facing the prospect of missing finals for the first time since 2005.

The club lost a number of players, including ruckman Lach Howe (Blackburn) and Logan Morey (Barooga).