Coach Alastair Clarkson said the club would assess defender Stephen Gilham (knee) and versatile hardman Campbell Brown (ankle) in the coming days, but hoped neither player faced long stints on the sidelines.
Both are crucial to the Hawks’ structure – which showed when they went off against the Blues in the first half on Sunday – and the coach is hoping both will be fit to tackle Geelong in round one of the AFL season.
Grant Birchall might also have strained a hamstring late in the match. Clarkson said the running defender would also be assessed but thought any injury was only “pretty minor”.
Gilham, however, looks to be of more concern. He landed awkwardly after attempting to spoil a Brendan Fevola mark in the second term.
He immediately clutched at his left knee before leaving the field.
“He’s certainly got some damage to a knee; we just don’t know the full extent of it at this point in time,” Clarkson said after the game.
“We’ll assess that over the next couple of days.
“He appeared to wrench the knee and you’re not really certain how severe that is until you get a chance to assess it in the next day or two.
“We’ll get our medical team to have a look at him over the course of the next 24 hours.”
Brown was limping around the Hawthorn rooms after the match with his foot and ankle strapped.
The tough utility sparked fears he might have re-injured the foot he broke last season when he hobbled from the ground late in the first quarter. But Clarkson said Brown had injured an ankle and he didn’t think it was too serious.
“I think he’s just twisted it going up in a marking contest,” Clarkson said.
“He might miss a week or two if it’s a little bit of a tweak but he’s just rolled an ankle I think.”
Dream Team watch – Campbell Brown is rated a $302,100 defender in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.
