Young Hawthorn midfielder Will Day is set to be in a race against the clock for his side's season opener against Essendon after sustaining a stress fracture in his foot.
The club confirmed on Wednesday that Day suffered the setback at training and will require a moon boot for the coming weeks, putting a dent in his pre-season plans for 2024.
The injury might've come early enough into the pre-season to have Day's Round 1 chances still alive, however the Hawks are set to take a "conservative" approach in the 22-year-old's recovery.
Further consultation with specialists is required to better determine the full extent of the injury, however Day is facing some time out of action just over two months out from his side's opening game of the season against Essendon.
โWill felt some discomfort during training today, so we sent him off for scans, where they unfortunately showed a stress fracture in his foot," Hawks high performance manager Peter Burge said in a club update.
โHe'll spend at least the next few weeks in a moon boot while we further assess the injury and determine the timeline for recovery. During this time period, we will also consult with specialists to ensure we develop the best rehabilitation program for Will.
โWill is a young player that is going to have a long future at our football club, so we will be conservative in our approach to get him back on the field."
Day enjoyed a breakout year in 2023, taking out the Peter Crimmins Medal following his 21-game season under Sam Mitchell. Day averaged 25.57 disposals, 3.48 tackles, 4.24 clearances, 4.38 inside 50s and 5.81 marks per game last year.
The Hawks are set to face Essendon at the MCG on Saturday, March 16 to commence their new campaign, which will succeed a pair of pre-season clashes with the Western Bulldogs from late February.
