Hawkins OK for now, future a worry

Tom Hawkins is battling a back injury. Source: JOE CASTRO / AAP

GEELONG star Tom Hawkins is considered a real chance to play this Friday night against Port Adelaide but his long-term future remains unclear due to a degenerative disc.

The disc problem is believed to have led to instability in some vertebrae making it harder to manage the pain.

Long-term the degeneration could lead to spinal surgery and in Hawkins' case it would be a bigger operation than experienced by teammate Dawson Simpson and others in Brad Ottens and Garry Lyon.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GEELONG ANALYSIS

According to a source on Monday surgery has not been planned but if required would involve fusion to stabilise vertebrae which could involve a recovery period of six months.

Geelong and Hawkins had been managing the issue with reasonable success until the end of June and in recent weeks his training workloads have dropped off along with his match conditioning and touch.

His replacement against Fremantle in Josh Walker is a 20-year-old with excellent endurance and a genuine appetite for the contest but he was unable to maximise his opportunities.

Hawkins however is among a host of issues facing the Cats this week as they try to avoid throwing away a brilliant season.

TOM HAWKINS?

If Hawkins plays he won't be venturing too far from goals meaning James Podsiadly will continue to cover plenty of ground. If he doesn't play then Harry Taylor is the most likely forward alternative.

That would mean Tom Lonergan would go to Jay Schulz and 192cm Jared Roivers would have to play as a tall defender, a role he has played many times before but not Geelong's ideal role for him.

A wildcard would be the selection of Shane Kirsten, the club's 34 pick in the 2011 draft and a 191cm forward who has booted plenty of VFL goals in the past six weeks.

Joel Patfull clears the ball in front of Tom Hawkins in Round 23. Source: Getty Images

RUCK DEPARTMENT

What was on paper an abundance of riches has become a problem given injury to Dawson Simpson (206cm) and Hamish McIntosh (203cm) and average form from Trent West.

They have had to pinch-hit with first-year player Mark Blicavs (20 games) and forward/ruckman Nathan Vardy (19 games) and while both were brave against Fremantle the reality is they were monstered by Aaron Sandilands and Zac Clarke.

Admittedly the Dockers can expose a ruck deficiency more than any other side but Port Adelaide's Matthew Lobbe was a telling factor against Collingwood.

The Cats may well go back to West who was serviceable against a fine craftsman in Brisbane's Matthew Leuenberger in Round 23. That would leave Blicavs as the rucking back-up and someone who could run with Justin Westhoff who seems to cover more ground than any other 199cm player in the AFL.

Geelong v St Kilda at Skilled Stadium, Geelong's Dawson Simpson injured in the second quarter. Picture: Salpigtidis George Source:

COREY ENRIGHT

Typically a medial strain means at least two-three weeks off so Enright is highly unlikely. So how do you replace a dual best and fairest (both in Premiership seasons) and four-time All-Australian?

You can't completely but Geelong does have options in Taylor Hunt, who can play back or as a run-with as well as Josh Hunt, Jordan Murdoch, Jackson Thurlow or George Horlin-Smith.

Because the Geelong VFL team finished on top all of the list are in full training and all of those players have performed creditably at senior level before.

Another alternative is to push Travis Varcoe back to a half back role with the ever-improving Cameron Gurthrie to get the major assignment on Chad Wingard.

Taylor Hunt, if selected, is more likely to be used in a run-with role against Travis Boak.

Power skipper Travis Boak high fives fans after Port won its elimination final against Collingwood. He says the team is hungry for more success. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

SUBSTITUTE

Expect Paul Chapman to start this week. He was clean with his possession when he got on the ground against Fremantle and is the type of spark Geelong needs.

Billie Smedts, who has been largely disappointing in his second full season, is an extremely versatile player who could provide something coming off the sub's bench.

Dejected ... Paul Chapman thanks the fans despite losing his 250th game. Source: Getty Images

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