AFL 2024: Geelong star Tom Hawkins will miss up to two months with foot injury

When Tom Hawkins limped off the MCG last Friday, there was some concern over what the injury could mean for his career. Now, the extent of the damage and timeline has been revealed.

Tom Hawkins is planning on playing again this season but has removed part of an Instagram post that called off plans of retirement.

The Geelong champion was on Tuesday ruled out for up to two months with a foot injury and posted on the social media app, with his caption beginning with “quick update – no retirement”.

A short time later, he removed “no retirement” from the post.

Hawkins kept the remainder of the caption, in which he said the 6-8 week timeframe for his return from his foot injury was “the best of a bad outcome” and there was “still a bit left in these old legs”.

“Not the result I was after on the weekend, however maybe it was the best of a bad outcome … I’m optimistic there is still plenty to accomplish this season,” he posted.

The veteran goalkicker limped off the ground last Friday after a falling when attempting to lead for the ball, an action that Hawkins said he has performed countless times in games.

On Tuesday, the Cats revealed Hawkins had an “atypical foot joint and ligament injury” on his left foot.

It is the same foot on which he had toe surgery after winning the 2022 premiership, but the injuries are not linked.

Should the full-forward miss eight weeks, he would return in round 23.

Tom Hawkins limps off the ground against the Blues. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong will likely turn to young tall Shannon Neale to fill his key-forward post on Saturday against Essendon.

Cats defender Zach Guthrie said he was hopeful Hawkins would be able to have an impact at the back-end of the season.

“He’s going well, he is always in good spirits. He’s someone who’s a great teammate no matter whether we are winning or losing or what sort of state he is in individually,” Guthrie said on Tuesday after the timeline was revealed.

“Hoping that he’s in a spot where he is able to get back and play some footy this year

The Cats sit in seventh on the ladder and remain determined to push for a finals berth despite losing six of their last seven games.

Hawkins, 35, has battled form issues this year for the first time in more than a decade and appears likely in his final season.

Hawkins was in at the club on Monday in a moon boot and Cats footy boss Andrew Mackie said he had already started his rehab.

“Tom has already been in the club today and commenced his off-footy training,” Mackie said on Tuesday.

“He’ll remain in a boot for the next couple of weeks before progressing based on clinical signs.

“Tom is in a positive and optimistic mindset and we are confident he will give himself the best chance to have an impact later in the season.”

Hawkins will miss up to two months. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

The injury-riddled Cam Guthrie was watching on in the stands when Hawkins suffered the blow last week.

The midfielder said a fit and firing Hawkins will be pivotal for the Cats at the end of the year, but now his premiership teammate’s full focus will be on his rehab.

“It’s never great to see a teammate injured. I think the way he did it at the time was a bit unclear exactly what he’d done, but he looked pretty sore and I was obviously pretty disappointed for him as a teammate and as a friend as well,” Guthrie said.

“He’s in good spirits, I spent a bit of time with him over the past couple of days and he’s ready to attack what’s ahead of him.

“Hawk’s an unbelievable teammate to play with, we need him up and going if we are going to achieve any kind of success at the end of the year.

“I think he’ll get stuck into it and really looking forward to when he comes back and finishing off the year with him.”

Carlton defender Jacob Weitering followed Hawkins in after he fell on Friday night and said he didn’t see what happened to the big Cat but he “is obviously a champion forward and hopefully he gets back to playing footy this year”.

Hawkins has played 359 games for the Cats across his illustrious career with his 796 goals ranking 13th in VFL/AFL history.

The highlight of his 18th season came when he kicked four goals in his 350th game against familiar foe Hawthorn on Easter Monday.

The Cats games record-holder has struggled for form since then, managing to kick six goals in his last nine matches.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong star Tom Hawkins will miss up to two months with foot injury