Hawthorn's All-Australian defender Josh Battle has been ruled out of the side's clash with the Demons this weekend, while the Hawks will also miss Ned Reeves in the ruck and Karl Amon across halfback due to respective knee injuries,
Battle had his appendix removed on Thursday night, and will miss the trip across the Bass Strait, with question marks lingering over his potential availability following this week abounding.
Reeves is also tipped to miss more than one week of football, including Saturday's Melbourne clash, after reporting knee soreness throughout the week. As for Amon, Hawks coach Sam Mitchell is more confident a rest this weekend will hold him in good stead for Round 18.
Battle was a close watch after heading into hospital reporting abdominal pain. He was initially named when Thursday's teams dropped, but Seven's Mitch Cleary broke the news of his scratching on Friday afternoon.
Josh Battle is a late out for Hawthorn tomorrow v Melbourne.
Had appendix removed in hospital overnight.
Would be unlikely next week v Carlton.Hawks now without Battle, Weddle, Amon & Impey from best backline v Dees + throw in Scrimshaw who is injured. https://t.co/7TVphMoDaV
— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) July 3, 2026
"We have had some challenges with selection," Mitchell told SEN.
"You certainly take those things for granted when players are pretty healthy, and our injury list has been good for the year. A couple of opportunities for some new lads.
"I think with Karl, hoping it's just the one week, battling with some knee soreness and didn't pull up very well from last week.
"Unfortunately, with Reeves, and it's a completely different knee injury, but I suspect it'll be more than one (week). I couldn't tell you how long that'll be. We need to wait to see how it settles. He came out of last week with a bit of soreness."
The pair of injuries comes as star small forward Nick Watson will also miss with hamstring tightness, with the club suggesting he is overworked and in need of some time to rest.
With Reeves missing, it'll give Lloyd Meek the "lion's share" of the ruck duties against Demons star Max Gawn.
Mitchell said Mabior Chol is set to fill part of the role to assist Meek.
Hawthorn made four changes, with young forward Calsher Dear joining Reeves, Amon and Watson in coming out of the side, opening the door to debutants Matt Hill and Noah Mraz.
Veteran forward Jack Gunston has replaced Dear while father-son Will McCabe will help bolster their forward line in a bid to cover for Chol when he pinch-hits in the ruck.
Mitchell explained the Dear omission, who has struggled to cement his spot in the senior side after a scintillating start to his career.
"We had a good discussion yesterday," Mitchell said.
"Just about how can we create the environment for him to get him to be his best. I think when a player is out of form, it's the things that they're not good at, which are costing them.
"The thing with Calsher, he's such a competitor and he's so alert. There's a level of intensity and alertness which what makes him a great player, and then he hasn't been able to find that on game day just yet.
"We're just working with him on how he can bring that out consistently, because when he does, we think he's going to be a very important player for us. The other thing, he's 20."
