Will Day’s Return on the Horizon for Hawthorn
Hawthorn fans are eagerly waiting for Will Day to don the brown and gold jerseys, with the club suggesting that his return could happen before their Round 14 bye. Day has been working through a shoulder dislocation sustained during the pre-season, adding to a history of persistent foot issues that have affected him over the past three years.
A Challenging Night Against Fremantle
On Thursday night, the Hawks faced a tough challenge against a stronger Fremantle side, which managed to turn a 22-point deficit into a 15-point win. The match was decided largely in the midfield, where the Dockers outperformed the Hawks in key areas. They won the clearance count (41-29) and controlled the centre square (13-9), but it was their performance in the final term that shifted the momentum.
The hosts secured clearances on 75% of occasions (12-4), which allowed them to dominate field position and score 5.5 goals to the Hawks’ one major. Luke Jackson, along with established midfielders Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, and Matthew Johnson, were instrumental, further supported by Shai Bolton and Hayden Young.
Midfield Struggles for Hawthorn
From the Hawks’ perspective, their heavy reliance on Jai Newcombe and Conor Nash (both at 81% CBA) proved too much to handle, as they were outmatched by the Dockers. While players like Connor MacDonald, Nick Watson, Dylan Moore, Josh Ward, and Cam Mackenzie contributed, questions remain about whether they can perform under pressure against top-tier opponents such as Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley, and Hugh McCluggage, or Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, and James Rowbottom.
Addressing Midfield Weaknesses
To address their midfield struggles, intensified by the departure of free agent James Worpel, Hawthorn attempted to bring in Essendon captain Zach Merrett. Although they came close, the deal ultimately fell through.
Despite Day’s absence, Sam Mitchell has assembled a successful midfield mix, ranking fourth in clearance differential (+2.7). However, the team still needs more variety, and the injury-prone star is expected to provide that.
Day’s Recovery Progress
“He fully trained with full contact and did every drill with the group this week. He’s training really well, feeling really good. He’s been prepared really well by Jack Price and Zane Leonard, our S&C coach and rehab coordinator,” said Hawthorn high performance manager Peter Burge.
“He’s gone through a fair process of reconditioning, and now we’re really in the final stages of full training and putting back-to-back sessions together as well as topping him up with some extra conditioning at match level conditions.”
Hawthorn has listed Day as being 2-3 weeks away from returning, with a potential VFL stint planned. His comeback is highly anticipated, and fans are eager to see him back on the field.
