Delisted Hawk determined to continue AFL career

Injury prone ex-Hawthorn player Alex Woodward says he is determined to continue his AFL career.

The 23-year-old has endured a simply horrendous run with injury, undergoing three knee reconstructions in four years, before being delisted by the Hawks at the end of this season.

However, he has shown great potential when on the park, winning the 2014 JJ Liston Trophy for the VFL's best and fairest and playing two senior games for the Hawks in the same year.

Woodward said his manager has contacted clubs and expressed his strong desire to play on in 2017.

"My management and I thought it was a good idea to write a bit about myself and the situation I’m in and how keen I am to pursue the AFL pathway,” said Woodward on SEN radio on Tuesday.

“I’m not entirely sure who my management sent it out to but hopefully he has sent it out to all clubs so they can recognise my passion for the game.

“I suppose I was selling myself in a sense that my body is fit now, that I’m only 23 and hopefully that’s an appealing view for clubs.

“My position at the moment is I’ve obviously been delisted by the Hawks and I guess prove myself that I’m worth a second chance.

“So this two months is going to be a bit of a limbo period but I’m just keeping myself busy and hopefully I’ll get that second chance.”

Woodward, who was selected with pick 53 in the 2011 National Draft, suffered his first ACL injury in his very first practice match in 2012, before doing it once again at training just under a year later and then for a third time while playing for Box Hill in the VFL.

He returned from his third knee reconstruction in the VFL in July this year.