Hawthorn recruit Chad Wingard unlikely to spend much time in midfield in club debut

Chad Wingard’s first game for Hawthorn has come at a vital time with the Hawks hit by injury in the midfield, but coach Alastair Clarkson that may not be where he deploys his boom recruit.

Chad Wingard will play in the forward line in his Hawthorn debut. Picture: AAP

Hawthorn is set to resist the urge to throw boom recruit Chad Wingard into the engine room to help solve its midfield conundrum.

After losing Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell for the season to a broken leg, the Hawks must also contend with fresh hamstring injuries to midfield duo Shaun Burgoyne and Liam Shiels.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said the 25-year-old former Port Adelaide star would play mostly as a forward in his club debut against North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.

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“I’d say he is unlikely to play much midfield time,” Clarkson said.

“We might have to pinch-hit with him occasionally from time to time and that might happen on Sunday.

“But, by and large, we just need him to get used to playing with his teammates and playing one position on the ground.

“And right now I think his best position is playing forward for us.”

After two rounds, Champion Data has the Hawks’ midfield ranked 17th for disposal differential, 17th for uncontested possession differential and 14th for contested possession differential.

For clearance differential it is ranked last.

Chad Wingard will make his Hawks debut against North Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

Asked if the long-term plan was to have Wingard rotating through the forward line and the midfield, Clarkson said: “We’ll just see how it pans out.

“He’s obviously got the flexibility to play in both areas of the ground.

“We want our players here to be flexible to play in a number of positions in case things don’t go as you like.

“But just while they find their feet, (Tom) Scully and Wingard will play in positions they’re familiar with.”

Wingard has overcome a calf injury suffered during the pre-season.

Clarkson said he was pleased to have Wingard and fellow recruit Scully available early in the season.

“They’re going to be important contributors for us in the long term,” he said.

“They need to learn how we play and we need to learn how they play, and they can only do that by getting exposure to playing senior AFL footy for us.

“The sooner we can get them up and running the ­better.”