THE KNOCK to Jaeger O'Meara's right knee is not believed to be related to the Hawthorn onballer's persistent problems with the joint, coach Alastair Clarkson says.
O'Meara, 23, missed two straight seasons at Gold Coast after multiple operations.
He had surgery in London on both knees for tendinitis after the 2014 season and ruptured the patella tendon in his right knee in April 2015.
The knee was a constant issue in his time at Gold Coast and after three games with the Hawks, O'Meara will miss the Easter Monday clash against Geelong with his side 0-3 and in last place.
Clarkson said at Waverley on Sunday the club originally expected the 2013 NAB AFL Rising Star to be fit for the game after he was scanned on Monday.
"We're hoping that it will settle down. We had a scan earlier in the week and thought it was going to be OK, but then he didn't progress over the next three days," Clarkson said.
"We have to name our side on Thursday and it just wasn't worth fiddling around.
"He's obviously got history with the knee and we just wanted to settle it the best we can.
"From what we can gather, it's got nothing to do with (past issues) – albeit that it's a knock to the same knee that's been sore previously."
O'Meara racked up 59 disposals in his opening two games of the season, but had only 14 against his former side last Sunday as the Hawks were handed an 86-point walloping.
He played 81 per cent of that game, which was similar to the time he spent on the field against Essendon and Adelaide.
Hawks' vice-captain Liam Shiels said earlier in the week his side hadn't done enough to help O'Meara when the recruit came under physical pressure from his former side, an assertion Clarkson agreed with.
"That's just reflective of the way we're playing our footy at the moment, and that happens from time to time with every side in the competition," Clarkson said.
"But we need to be better in that regard, and a whole heap of aspects of our game were well, well below our best.
"We need to respond."
The Hawks face the Cats at 3.20pm AEST on Monday at the MCG
