Minor procedure helps Hawthorn captain James Sicily get over hip issue in time for team’s run to finals

With the captain’s hip issues sorted and a key forward set to make a return after 12 months off the field, Hawthorn is regaining momentum.

Hawthorn captain James Sicily was forced to undergo what his coach Sam Mitchell called a “minor procedure” to address the hip issue that plagued him in the first half of the season and led to weekly questions about his form.

Mitchell declared the move had “sorted out” the problem for the skipper who could return against North Melbourne on Saturday and be more able to help his team’s push for a possible top-four finish.

Sicily trained with his teammates on Thursday and Mitchell wasn’t willing to rule him in or out of what would be his first game since stepping away following the round 13 loss to Collingwood.

“(Sicily) has obviously been dealing with the nervy hip thing … we’ve got a bit more of our head around it, he had a minor procedure which sorted out a big portion of it,” Mitchell said.

“Will he get up for this week? Training will tell us more about that, but it’s definitely been beneficial for him.”

A minor procedure has sorted out James Sicily’s hip issue. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Mitchell couldn’t hide his excitement at the return of key forward Mitch Lewis from an ACL injury.

Lewis had been growing his hair “until he was ready to play” as he rehabbed the knee injury but with a return in the VFL set for this weekend, his hair was short and Mitchell knows he could be a useful weapon in the run to September.

“I think sometimes when guys come back from a knee they look tentative. He definitely has that,” Mitchell said.

“But I would say for the last five or six weeks he’s looked ready to play. He’s ready and excited to get back out there.

“We know that Mitch Lewis, he’s a fantastic AFL player, and at our best, him being a big part of that, he’s a significant part of our future. It’s not something we have relied on, (but) is that something we hope can come good in the second half of the season? Absolutely.”

Mitchell said Lewis, who has only managed four senior games in the last two years, could work in a forward line with Mabior Chol and Calsher Dear, who is coming back from a back fracture.

Mitch Lewis will return in the VFL. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Dear will also play in the VFL with Lewis this week with a view to the duo making their way into the AFL side, possibly together.

“I think everyone’s watched a bit of Adelaide this year with the genuine three, big tall (forwards) and thought there’s something about what they’re doing that’s pretty good … it doesn’t look clunky at all, they look really smooth the way they move the ball,” Mitchell said.

“They’re probably giving us a bit of insight into what it looks like, but as far as selection goes, you’re always going to push that can down the road because you never know who is going to be available and when.”

Originally published as Minor procedure helps Hawthorn captain James Sicily get over hip issue in time for team’s run to finals