Hawkins return risk

Andrew Mathieson
DEJECTED Tom Hawkins could make a shock AFL return as early as next week.
Doctors had diagnosed the young Cat forward with a serious hot spot injury earlier this month and coach Mark Thompson said they offered up to eight weeks to rest a sore foot.
But Hawkins is showing little side affects after less than three sidelined.
“Tom is coming on really well and we expect him to play the next week or the week after,” Thompson said.
Geelong medicos were surprised Hawkins has returned to fitness so quickly, fearing he could be out for several months this year.
Thompson told the Independent a fortnight ago that Hawkins “could play” immediately after the prognosis but at high risk of further injury.
“They have just decided through all these specialists and through Tom making a decision with his friends and family that he’s going to play in probably one to two weeks.”
The club was prepared to take a conservative approach after former defender Matthew Egan’s unsuccessful battle to recover from a fractured navicular injury.
Thompson said Hawkins’s decision was based on the “best available information”.
“All we did was just lay out the cards on the table, the facts, and let him make the decision,” he said.
“We don’t know if it’s a new injury or an old injury, if it’s been there for two weeks or ten week, we’re not really sure.”
Injury-plagued ruckman Brad Ottens is also a chance to resume next week in the VFL.
“He’s coming along really well, running on the ground and everything else, so we’re happy with his progress,” Thompson said.