‘Tracking really well’: Hawkins ‘optimistic’ on return despite uncertainty over future
Three-time Geelong premiership veteran Tom Hawkins has provided an update on his troublesome foot injury, and labelled his progress as “tracking really well.”
After succumbing to a midfoot sprain, specific to the Lisfranc area in Round 15 against Carlton, there were grave fears that both Cats and football fans alike had seen the last of one of the modern era greats.
And while his return isn’t absolutely certain before the end of the home-and-away season, Hawkins seemed somewhat confident that his improve was on the incline.
Speaking to Fox Footy’s AFL 360, the star full-forward provided fans with an insightful update on his progress behind the scenes.
“It’s tracking really well thanks for asking; it’s slow and steady, I’m making really good progress at the moment. I’ve just started doing some footwork drilling stuff at the footy club, (so) this is very much going to be taken moment by moment, depending on the symptoms that I have at any given time, particularly being such a big, heavy player that I am,” Hawkins begun by saying.
“I rely on my power, and I’m going to need to make sure that I’m symptom free. It’s tracking well, and we’re really positive on the outlook over the next couple weeks.”
And while his foot scan was only hopeful of revealing a minimal issue, Hawkins’ long-term presence in the game has – almost unsurprisingly – brought to light some wear-and-tear across his 18-year career.
“It became really complicated, because when you’ve been in the system for a while, you often find that when you scan certain injuries that you find other or older issues that you maybe didn’t quite know about, so that was the instance for my injury a couple weeks ago,” Hawkins continued.
“There were some old, lower-level injuries that took a further time to actually diagnose what was actually going on.
“There’s a really clear picture, I’m optimistic … I really am 6-8 weeks (away from returning), it gives me an opportunity to strip things right back (and) concentrate a few things outside of my football and attack the last few games of the year.”
“The end is certainly a lot closer than it is the beginning – so anytime I think you injure yourself at the stage I am in my career, you tend to get a bit worried. But once I had my diagnosis, my mindset shifted from ‘what has happened, to what I can do to be able to get myself back out there’ – I still think I’ve got a role to play in our quest for success this year.”
AFL 360 panellist and Herald Sun Chief Football Writer Mark Robinson then went on to ask the question that to some would have been the elephant in the room on his future.
“Please don’t think this is disrespect(ful) Tom, because you know what I think of you as a player and you’re an all-time Geelong champion – but you’re 36 (later this month), have you made a decision about whether you want to continue playing next year, or is this it?” Robinson asked coyly.
“No, I haven’t; I’m solely focused on what’s ahead of me. I’m always having ongoing conversations, but that hasn’t been one of them that we’ve discussed just yet,” Hawkins responded.
“I’m sure there’ll become a point in time where along with the people I care about and the football club will get together, but honestly mate, it’s about focusing on what’s ahead and how I can help the team in my current state, but also help the team (by) getting myself back.”
Hawkins has played more AFL matches than any Geelong player in the clubs history, currently sitting pretty on 359 games since his debut in 2007.
While the Cats currently sit fifth on the ladder, only four points and a small amount of percentage separates them from the 10th placed Melbourne.
Geelong will have the chance to put their fear of slipping up before finals to slightly more ease with a win over the out-of-form Collingwood on Friday night at the MCG.
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