Hawthorn midfielder Will Day will again miss a large portion of the AFL season after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction.
Day, still just 24 years of age, dislocated his right shoulder at training last week, and went under the knife on Monday. Preliminary forecasting has the South Australian returning around Hawthorn's mid-season bye in Round 14, thus confirming the worst fears of Hawks faithful.
Hawthorn Executive General Manager of Football, Rob McCartney, threw his support behind his luckless star.
“While this is unfortunate news for Will, we are pleased that the surgery was successful and that we now have a timeline to work towards for his return," he said.
“Will has already put in a mountain of work over the off-season, so while this is clearly frustrating for him, knowing the sort of person that Will is, he will continue to do everything he can to get back onto the field as soon as possible.”
“As a club, we will be there to support him every step of the way.”
Hawthorn Hawks and GWS Giants at University of Tasmania Stadium, on March 29, 2025, in Launceston, Australia. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)
Taken inside the first round of the 2019 National Draft, Day is still yet to play 100 games, such is his misfortune with injury.
In 2023, the lone season in which the West Adelaide product cracked the 20-game threshold, he claimed the Peter Crimmins Medal as the Hawks' best and fairest player.
Head coach Sam Mitchell's attention must now turn to replacing his jet's production, with the midfield brigade also without James Worpel, following his defection to Geelong.
