Ankle injuries to Mitch Lewis and Sam Weideman hit Hawthorn v Melbourne Marsh Series clash

Hawthorn and Melbourne have been rocked by injuries during their Marsh Series clash in Launceston, with both going down in the Demons’ win over the Hawks. Will the MRO probe Jack Viney’s sling tackle on the Hawks’ captain?

Hawthorn will sweat on an ankle injury to star Mitch Lewis after he was helped from the ground in serious pain late in the last quarter of the Hawks’ Marsh Community Series clash with Melbourne.

The rising forward leapt to contest a high ball with Demon Marty Hore, but wrenched his left ankle as he landed on the defender’s boot during the Dees’ 32-point pre-season win over the Hawks.

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Mitchell Lewis suffered an ankle injury late in the Hawks’ clash with Melbourne.

On the ground in pain, trainers had to help the Hawk off. He sat on the bench for a moment, but was then helped down the race.

Boundary rider Cam Mooney felt Lewis’s pain.

“We’ve all done that, you can feel the crunch of the ankle,” Mooney said on Fox Footy.

He later limped back out onto the arena in a Hawthorn jumper and played no further part in the match, his ankle wrapped in ice.

The Hawks will be sweating on Mitch Lewis' injury.

It’s a big blow for the young Hawk, who had a delayed start to the pre-season after undergoing shoulder surgery at the end of 2019.

Demon forward Sam Weideman was also helped to the bench, his boot off, wincing as trainers manoeuvred his ankle. Weideman’s ankle already appeared to have heavy strapping and his landing at the centre bounce competing with Hawthorn ruckman Ben McEvoy was enough to make anyone cringe.

Lewis played no further part in the match, his ankle heavily wrapped in ice. Picture: AAP

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VINEY IN TROUBLE?

Melbourne’s midfield enforcer Jack Viney may be in hot water for a sling tackle that saw Hawthorn skipper Ben Stratton bang his head on the turf.

In their final Marsh Community Series hit-out before the start of the AFL season in 12 days, Stratton’s arms were pinned by Viney in the potentially dangerous tackle and his head hit the turf in the first-quarter incident.

With concussion and head-high impact the hottest topic in the AFL over the past week, it will be a nervous wait for Viney and Melbourne ahead of its opening game of the 2020 season against West Coast at Optus Stadium on March 22.

Former Melbourne great Gary Lyon said the Viney incident was bound to be investigated, despite causing no damage to the Hawk leader.

“Last year there would have been no case to answer but this year there may be,” Lyon said.

Hawthorn has its own concerns from the low-scoring, low efficiency, high-turnover game, with young forward Mitch Lewis carried off after rolling his left ankle in the final term.

RETURNING DEES BETTER FOR RUN

Everyone’s favourite garage barista, Max Gawn made a cautious return from a knee injury.

In his first game as Melbourne’s new captain, Max Gawn had a cautious return from a knee injury.

“Maxy” had seven disposals, four marks and 14 hit-outs in the first half, and sat out the second.

“It felt good. It was really important to get this game under my belt and I put myself aggressively to get up for this game,” Gawn said.

Also returning from a knee problem, Steven May was outstanding as Melbourne’s backline general, gathering 21 disposals, eight marks and seeing Hawks recruit Jonathon Patton “retired” from the game late with six touches, two marks for 1.1.

“There were a few little kinks out there today, like spoiling each other and that kind of thing, but that’s the reason we have these Marsh games to iron those out,” May said.

HAWKS HUMBLED

Melbourne’s Bayley Fritsch (5) and Jake Melksham (4) ran riot, accounting for nine of the Demons’ 12 goals in a humbling night for Hawthorn.

The Hawks showed no signs of the form that saw them surge home with six wins from their last eight games in 2019, including victories over grand finalist GWS, preliminary finalists Collingwood and Geelong, and 2018 premier West Coast.

Known for their accuracy by foot, the Hawks had a kicking efficiency of just over 50 per cent, their link work was missing and turnovers were at infestation level.

Gun onballer Tom Mitchell (24 possessions) is still searching for the form that saw him win the 2018 Brownlow Medal, while James Sicily (28 possessions, seven marks) is set for another season as one of the AFL’s elite defenders.

NEW RECRUITS SHINE

Dees’ fans will like what trade recruits Ed Langdon (25 possessions) and Adam Tomlinson (32 possessions) will bring this season on the wings.

Langdon worked into the back 50m to add rebound to the Dees’ defence, and the height and workrate of Tomlinson provided an important aerial asset and a reliable link in the midfield.

Tomlinson was so productive that Hawthorn sent Isaac Smith to quell the damage.

SCOREBOARD

MELBOURNE 2.5 5.6 8.7 12.9 (81)

d

HAWTHORN 2.2 4.7 6.10 6.13 (49)

GOALS

Melbourne: B Fritsch 5 J Melksham 4 A Neal-Bullen J Viney T Bedford

Hawthorn: T Scully 2 J Patton J Worpel L Breust T Mitchell

INJURIES

Melbourne: Weideman (ankle)

Hawthorn: Lewis (ankle)

Umpires: Leigh Fisher, Andre Gianfagna, Justin Power

Official crowd: 2,712 at University of Tasmania Stadium.

Originally published as Ankle injuries to Mitch Lewis and Sam Weideman hit Hawthorn v Melbourne Marsh Series clash