UPDATE
Changkuoth Jiath could miss the first month of the 2024 AFL season after scans revealed a serious hamstring injury.
Jiath left Hawthorn’s intra-club early on Thursday morning and was immediately sent for scans which returned a poor result some six hours later.
The 24-year-old had been tipped for a move to the wing in 2024, a position shift that will now be delayed. He’s set to miss six to eight weeks.
“The injury he went overseas for was around the groin and pelvic region that he needed to have assessed. That’s been really good since he returned,” Hawks footy boss Rob McCartney told SEN.
“This is an injury not related to the previous injury.”
The Hawks face Essendon in their opening match of 2024 on March 16 before taking on Melbourne, Geelong, Collingwood and Gold Coast in a difficult start to the season.
Earlier, key defender James Blanck was ruled out for the entirety of 2024 after rupturing his ACL during the same intra-club, while vice-captain Dylan Moore was diagnosed with glandular fever.
EARLIER
Changkuoth Jiath has been sent for scans on a hamstring injury in a bout of shocking luck for the 24-year-old.
Only months ago Jiath travelled to Qatar and spent time with international experts to help manage calf and Achilles issues which corrupted the back half of his 2023 season.
During a Hawthorn intra-club on Thursday morning, Jiath was taken from the field in the first half and has since been sent for scans on his hamstring, per multiple reports.
Concerns for Jiath. Limped off in the second quarter with what looks to be a leg injury. Hopefully not too serious. A definite watch. @HawksInsiders
— Brad Klibansky (@BradKlibansky) February 14, 2024
The utility had been spending more time on the wing across the 2023 pre-season. He’s managed only 45 games since debuting in 2019.
David King, who was watching on at Waverley, revealed how the injury occurred.
“Disaster out here for the Hawks, it’s a reoccurrence of that hamstring he’s had awful trouble with in the last couple of seasons…” he told SEN’s Whateley.
“After a fantastic pre-season it’s come to a grinding halt. He didn’t limp, he just walked, we weren’t quite sure what happened.
“You knew something was wrong when the play was going on around him, he walked from the far wing across to the bench area and he just looked dejected… it’s really sad.”
It comes after the Hawks revealed vice-captain Dylan Moore would be sidelined for at least a month after being diagnosed with glandular fever.
While the 24-year-old is yet to be ruled out of Round 1, which comes on March 16 against Essendon for Hawthorn, the Hawks have stated Moore won’t be rushed back to action.