Hawthorn have been hit by further injuries in a costly pre-season intra-club match, that could have already cruelled the club’s bid to return to finals in 2024 for the first time in six years.
Running defender Changkuoth Jiath has been confirmed to have suffered a hamstring injury after limping from Waverley Park on Thursday morning; while mere minutes later, key back James Blanck was carried off after appearing to injure his knee.
It was later confirmed Blanck had suffered a dreaded ACL tear to rule him out for the season. Jiath will be sidelined for six to eight weeks, the club said.
Both players were visibly dejected as they made their way off, according to reports from the ground, with former North Melbourne great David King describing the match as a ‘horror session’.
“The whole session has stopped, this is awful,” King said of Blanck’s knee injury on SEN while reporting from Waverley.
“It could be another season-ending injury that occurred on the far wing… the game stopped, the whole thing has stopped.
“He’s getting up and being carried off, the medics have got to him now. It’s a left knee injury.”
The pair will add to what is a sizeable injury toll for the Hawks out of the pre-season, with star midfielder Will Day already ruled out of their Round 1 clash with Essendon due to a foot stress fracture, while small forward Dylan Moore is in doubt having been diagnosed with glandular fever earlier in the week.
Channel 9 reporter Joshua Dawe described the session as ‘carnage’.
Jiath has endured a frustrating run of soft-tissue injuries since a breakout 2021 season, managing just eight matches in 2023.
Hawthorn Head Doctor Liam West said subsequent scans confirmed Jiath will miss an extended period of time.
“Changkuoth was removed from the intraclub match after feeling some discomfort in his hamstring whilst sprinting,” West said.
“Unfortunately, scans revealed he has suffered a moderate-grade strain, which will now see him sidelined for at least the next six weeks.
“Given Changkuoth’s body of work over the summer months, including a recent trip to Qatar, we are confident he can make a full return to play in the early rounds of the season.”
Blanck, who made his AFL debut in 2022 after being taken in that year’s mid-season draft as a mature-aged rookie, played 15 games in 2023 to entrench himself in the Hawks’ back six.
The Hawks still have time to draft a replacement player in the pre-season Supplementary Selection Period, which ends on Monday, February 19.
Frodo
Roar Rookie
Do you attend Clown School . . . or run it?
Frodo
Roar Rookie
Ah well. Freo needed a win. Can't win on the park, only in the 'donfusion' of Little Donsy's little mind.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Many people said West Coast were the worst AFL team for years. In 2023, there was no consideration for a high percentage of their best 22 that were missing through injury for much of the season. Now Hawthorn lose a player who averages 6 disposals a game and a handy running defender and it's "carnage"!
Ace
Roar Rookie
Hi Don. I'm just catching up with these posts. Had to chuckle when I read how you have beaten your Richmond hecklers to the punch
Chanon
Roar Rookie
The icing on the cake will be acquiring Bevo. ‘Strong Men also Cry’ :laughing:
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
It locks you into yesteryear. Nothing to be proud of. It certainly is a difference. I'm glad I'm not imprisoned by your world view.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Dreading more Frostball....groan.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
I have interest in the past & the future. That's one of the many things that’s separates us.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I have no interest in the past. Almost all the boys playing now have very little to do with the times you refer to. I can understand you clinging to those days; there's not a lot of joy ahead of you.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Don, don’t let anyone discredit your opinions on ranking low-end teams. After all, any Dockers fan would have great insight as to what it takes to be one. Never won a premiership in 29 years of existence & have finished 12th or lower on the ladder all but once in the past 8 years. The Dockers have almost got it down to a science.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Nothing to “worry” about from Hawthorn. Especially nothing from last decade.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Even thought the Hawks arent in my top 200 teams l take no schadenfreude in this. I wish every team well regarding their roster availability.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Was…2 years ago. He doesn’t play and his mate has retired.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Taranto is in the top 50 mids in the AFL ( probably 35-45). Hopper isn't. And West Coast want to take their list manager!
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
And why don’t you rate the other GC mercenary? Is a decent forward. At least top 10 in the comp
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
No mids? they traded all their future for some mids.
Dimitri Arapidis
Roar Rookie
You just worry about your own team and don't worry about Hawthorn, does 2013 and 2015 still hurt.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I tip them for last because they are really weak on paper. No defence, no attack, no mids. Apart from Bolton, they have no one. They have Dusty but he puts in for 4 minutes a quarter and, even then, it's barely 50% efficiency.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Blanck is a loss not because he is good but because we seemed cursed for tall key backs. His loss plus that of Jiath means we need error riddled Frost to play all season and/or hope DGB can get back on track. I don't know why but the general consensus seems to be DGB might be a lost cause. Otherwise tall backs is looking pretty thin on the ground they got rid of Kozitchke, don't know if Gunston will give it a go, how long Jiath will be out or if Sicily will just have to play undersized every week.
Shane
Roar Rookie
The Tigers are good on paper. The paper tigers perhaps? The first 3 rounds will tell us a lot.