ST KILDA recruit Nathan Freeman has suffered a minor setback in his recovery from multiple hamstring injuries and will be kept in cotton wool for another week.

Freeman was eased into training this season and made his playing return nearly three weeks ago with the Sandringham reserves, winning 46 possessions in three quarters.

The injury-troubled midfielder has not played since, however, and has had his comeback put on hold again after experiencing "some awareness" in his hamstring during training this week.

Scans revealed no significant damage to his hamstring, but the Saints have taken a cautious approach because of the 20-year-old's extensive injury history.

"Nathan experienced some awareness in his hamstring last week during training," St KIlda football manager Jamie Cox said on the club's website.

"Due to his history we’ll slow him down a bit and we'll put him back into training for a week or two and really build him back up to play again hopefully in a couple of weeks."

Freeman did not play last week because the Sandringham reserves had a bye, and he will likely make his return through the VFL reserves in the next fortnight so the club can manage his game time.

Recruited by Collingwood with pick No.10 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft, his first two seasons were wiped out by serious hamstring injuries and he suffered a recurrence with St Kilda in December.

Meanwhile, defender Dylan Roberton is on track to only miss one more week with a knee injury and will face a fitness test ahead of the Saints' round-seven clash against North Melbourne.