A disappointing Day, but not disastrous
Another injury to an important Hawk has again soured the summer.
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Last year it was the knee injury to Mitch Lewis that threw a major spanner into the works of the Hawthorn pre-season.
That happened on January 25 and despite the vague commentary from the club, there was little chance he would return for the start of the season. And indeed he didn’t. It was round seven before he reappeared.
This time the big summer injury at the Hawks didn’t even wait until the day before Barbecue Day. It was January 10. The Australian Open hasn’t even started. And it was to another important piece of the Hawthorn puzzle, reigning Peter Crimmins medallist Will Day.
He has suffered a stress fracture of his foot and the media release from the Hawks that came out on Wednesday evening (kudos to Cal Twomey for breaking the story) featured the dreaded words “moon boot” and “rehabilitation”.
There are 66 days until round one, but with the Hawks sure to be conservative with their treatment, it is highly unlikely he plays in the season-opener against the Bombers.
Some perspective…
While every Hawthorn supporter has grown to love Day and the admiration for his game from non-Hawthorn people has started to skyrocket, it is not quite as catastrophic as the Lewis injury 12 months ago.
Back then, if you had surveyed any Hawthorn supporter as to which player they would most hate to lose to injury, it would have been a toss-up between Lewis and James Sicily. And so it proved. The Hawks were bordering on non-competitive when either didn’t play last year.
Not much has changed entering this season. They are the two best — and most important players — at Sam Mitchell’s disposal. A player such as Day is the cream on top.
He is Hawthorn’s most creative midfielder and yes, deceptively tough. His 2023 campaign was brilliant: 25.6 disposals, 5.8 marks and 4.2 clearance a game. At his best, he is a joy to watch and on track to becoming a genuine A-Grader. Best and fairest winners should be close to irreplaceable and at some clubs they are.
But at the Hawks there are options to cover for him. Jai Newcombe, James Worpel and Conor Nash is a reasonable starting trio at the feet of Ned Reeves, Lloyd Meek and Mabior Chol. Josh Ward has been trained hard this summer — like Day 12 months ago — to join them and is reportedly flying. The midfield is Cam Mackenzie’s natural home and he showed plenty there last year.
Dylan Moore didn’t need many midfield minutes last year but is more than capable when required. And you know Connor Macdonald is just itching to show his wares in the guts.
It could be the making of Henry Hustwaite and the last chance saloon for Cooper Stephens.
Instead of watching some movies on the long plane flight home from New York this week, the Sam Mitchell will likely be buried in a notepad, sketching out various Day-less midfield combinations for the forthcoming pre-season.
It will be an arduous journey given his condition and the news about Day probably did little to improve his health.
But he is not returning home to a disaster. There is midfield depth and there are options that will hold the Hawks in good enough stead until he returns. They can be as conservative as they want with Day and there is absolutely no need to rush him back.
But it will be an exciting time when he does.
Many of us “bemoaned” the lack of opportunity last season for “inside” midfield time outside of Day, Newcombe, Nash & Worpel for Ward, MacDonald, McKenzie et al with the fortunate injury run last year. It was never going to last - who said “Each win brings you closer to your next loss.”
Interesting listening to Sis talking about “embracing the hurt locker” in his piece yesterday, with a stress fracture you do wonder if some of them are still learning their personal breaking point. Again, there were media clips throughout the various breaks of players doing their extra sessions.
Thanks Ash food for thought
I think this will be a great opportunity for Josh Ward and I think with Watson and Ginivan more mid time for Dylan Moore will be a win for the team.
I am a little perplexed how you come back from a break with a stress fracture, I hope Will didnt take upon himself to do extras that pushed him to breaking point.