AFL 2025: Hawthorn captain James Sicily sidelined through injury

Hawthorn will tackle a season-defining fortnight without one of its most important and inspirational players.

Hawthorn captain James Sicily is set to miss his side’s season-shaping fortnight with a hip-abdominal injury.

The Hawks have lost three games in a row and will now face the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide without their All-Australian star.

The injury setback follows reports Sicily has been playing under an injury cloud.

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell last week fended off questions about Sicily’s fitness, particularly his groin.

Mitchell launched a strong defence of his captain, labelling the reports of a sore groin “a storm in a teacup”.

“His groins are fine, he’s playing every week, there’s no reason that his kicking has anything to do with his groins, his groins are fine,” Mitchell said.

“He kicked the ball reasonably well last week I thought. Go watch all of his kicks and tell me which ones you could do better. Bring them back, show me some vision.

“I am very happy with his kicking. I could get you all the kicks he’s done that hardly anyone in the competition could pull off he’s done in the last month.

“The kicking, that is a storm in a teacup.”

Hawthorn captain James Sicily has succumbed to injury at the worst possible time for the Hawks. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Originally published as AFL 2025: Hawthorn captain James Sicily sidelined through injury