MERCURICAL Hawthorn forward Chad Wingard has succumbed to yet another soft-tissue setback, placing him in doubt for round one.
Wingard strained his calf in the Hawks' intraclub last week and will miss practice matches against the Western Bulldogs on Wednesday and Melbourne (March 6).
With Jack Gunston (back) already ruled out for the season opener and Tom Mitchell (shoulder) racing the clock, it is an untimely setback for the Hawks.
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It is the second time in three pre-seasons at Waverley Park that Wingard has had his pre-season interrupted by a calf complaint.
He was sidelined for the first two rounds of 2019 due to a calf before a missing a further six matches with two separate hamstring injuries.
The 27-year-old enjoyed a full bill of health last year and finished third in the club's best and fairest after playing all 17 games.
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Mitchell is unlikely to feature in either of the pre-season games, however coach Alastair Clarkson told AFL.com.au last week the Brownlow medallist hadn't been ruled out for round one.
The gun midfielder is yet to re-join main training after an off-season shoulder reconstruction.
He could push to play minutes in a Box Hill scratch match in the week before round one (March 13-14) or be thrown into round one against Essendon (March 20) without a hitout.
Defender Jack Scrimshaw is also doubtful for round one after jarring his knee in last week's intraclub, later diagnosed as bone bruising.
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Meantime, James Sicily is eyeing a late season return from the ACL he suffered last year, while draftees Seamus Mitchell (ankle) and Jack Saunders (hamstring) are working back to full fitness.
