A CORKED leg sustained by Paul Puopolo in a pre-game collision with an umpire is unlikely to keep the tenacious Hawthorn forward out of Saturday night's clash with Port Adelaide.
Puopolo trained on Tuesday and should be right to face the Power, while speedy wingman Bradley Hill (concussion) will return after being held back from the Hawks' round three win over the Western Bulldogs.
The Hawks provided no further update on Cyril Rioli's sore shoulder in their weekly injury report, but general manager of football operations Chris Fagan told the club's website that midfielder Liam Shiels (hamstring) was likely to be available for round five.
However, the news is not as positive for injury-cursed big man Matt Spangher, who will be sidelined for about a month with a hamstring strain.
Playing just his second match for the year after a pre-season blighted by a calf issue, Spangher hobbled from the field in the first quarter of Box Hill's round one VFL win over Footscray on Saturday.
On Sunday, Puopolo was injured when he ran through the cheer squad's banner and bumped into an umpire before the Hawks' 70-point over the Dogs in Launceston.
Despite the collision, the 173cm forward pocket played nearly the entire game, gathering 16 touches and kicking a goal.
He was substituted out of the match in the fourth quarter as a precaution, and the club's medical staff started working on Puopolo's left thigh on the interchange bench.
Hawks spearhead Jarryd Roughead followed Puopolo through the banner and questioned why the umpire – who he said could have been an emergency – was behind the banner.
"I was right behind him (Puopolo), so I didn't think it was great," Roughead said on Tuesday.
"I don’t think the umpire should be running behind a banner."
Umpires coach Hayden Kennedy said the young emergency umpire, Jack Edwards, who is yet to debut, would be instructed to stand still if he found himself in a similar situation again.
"It's a very unfortunate accident though, it was just a victim of circumstance," Kennedy told AFL.com.au's Whistleblowers.
"He knew there were players coming his way, so it's great to stay still and let the players deviate.
"I think Jack will learn that once he gets involved in that situation again … he'll stay still and let the players go around him."
