Hawk defender struggles at training but Brian Lake fares better
HAWTHORN defender Matt Suckling looks unlikely to face Geelong in Friday night's qualifying final after he left the team's main training session early.
He injured his knee a fortnight ago against the Cats, and missed the round 23 win over Collingwood.
On Tuesday, he completed run-throughs away from the main group but didn't appear to be moving fluently.
The defender stopped several times, touching his knee and appeared to be in some discomfort.
Suckling left the track after 25 minutes.
"We're really not certain and this stage whether he'll get there or not but he's a chance," Fagan told hawthornfc.com.au on Tuesday.
"He's made some good progress over the last week and was another one that ran this morning.
"He'll train on Thursday and we'll see how he is then."
Key defender Brian Lake had a lighter session on the track but appeared to move freely, despite suffering a corked hip against the Pies.
The Hawks expect him to line up against Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins on Friday night.
Meanwhile, star forward Cyril Rioli took part in handball and short-distance kicking drills with midfielder Isaac Smith, who didn't train with the main group.
Rioli sustained a hamstring tendon injury in round 15, and there is serious doubt over whether he will be fit to partake in the Hawks' finals campaign.
Smith played against Collingwood and didn't appear to sustain an injury, but both he and Rioli left the track early.