Hawthorn skipper Luke Hodge admits he was shocked to learn the knee injury he suffered against Greater Western Sydney would require surgery, sidelining him for up to six weeks.
Hodge landed awkwardly after a desperate spoiling attempt in just the second minute of the match at Spotless Stadium that the Hawks went on to lose by 75 points.
The 31-year-old played out the game, gathering 20 possessions, but scans later confirmed he had torn the lateral meniscus in his right knee.
“I could still play out the game … I knew it was a bit sore but I got a bit of a shock when I found out the extent,” Hodge told the AFL’s website as he went in for surgery on Tuesday.
“(But) this is a minor hiccup with a long season to go.”
Hodge has already undergone surgery this season, missing two games after having a plate inserted in the forearm he fractured against Geelong in round one.
Hawks football operations chief Chris Fagan wasn’t surprised the triple-premiership captain refused to succumb to the injury with the match still in the balance.
“In typical Hodge fashion he said nothing about it and played out the game but pulled up pretty sore,” Fagan told the club’s website.
“(But) upon scanning it yesterday they discovered the injury so he’s having some surgery and he’ll be out for anywhere between four and six weeks.
“It’s a blow for Hodgey and a blow for us but these are the things that you’ve got to cope with in a football season … it never, ever goes smoothly.”
Full-back James Frawley was concussed in the same match, Fagan saying it was too early to tell if the defender would be cleared to play against Richmond at the MCG on Friday night.
In better news for the club, full-forward Jarryd Roughead has taken a significant step in his recovery from pre-season knee surgery, resuming skills training this week.
“It’ll be a gradual process,” Fagan said.
“With a knee injury like that the medical and fitness guys are really conditioning him to change of direction stuff – that’s the next part of his rehab.”
Roughead had a damaged posterior cruciate ligament repaired in February and isn’t expected to return to the field until the halfway point of the season.