Hawthorn Exercises Caution, Not Star

The Age

Wednesday March 1, 2006

JAKE NIALL with AAP

HAWTHORN will be minus its two marquee players against Adelaide in Launceston on Saturday night with the club's no-risk policy meaning Shane Crawford will join Peter Everitt on the missing list.

Crawford has experienced some knee swelling and while the injury is not considered serious and would probably not cause him to miss a game during the regular season, the Hawks will not risk him or Everitt, who suffered some tightness in his hamstring last week.

Hawthorn's reluctance to risk Crawford is consistent with the attitude to pre-season games of most clubs where veteran superstars are concerned - Collingwood opting not to play Nathan Buckley in Perth this weekend, while Sydney was without Barry Hall and several older players last weekend and Essendon rested James Hird.

Injury-prone forward John Barker is another Hawk who will miss the game at Aurora Stadium in Launceston. Barker hurt his shoulder in the boxing ring weeks ago.

Hawthorn chief executive Ian Robson last night said Crawford would be able to play had it been the regular season, but the Hawks would not take any risks at this stage. As with Everitt, the club wished to preserve his body for the home-and-away season. "Obviously, this time of year, we tend to apply a conservative policy."

Robson said Crawford had a modified training program at the club's new Waverley home because of his knee swelling, caused by a knock in a practice match.

Director and former champion Dermott Brereton, who is recovering from surgery, will not play in Hawthorn's "legends" match at Glenferrie Oval tomorrow night, an occasion that will be something of a farewell to the traditional base, along with Sunday's family day.

* Brisbane Lions coach Leigh Matthews has told Jonathan Brown to wait another fortnight despite the star forward's impressive return from minor knee surgery in a trial game on Monday.

Matthews said Brown was unlikely to play with the Lions against Melbourne at Telstra Dome on Friday, with the club reluctant to risk further pre-season damage.

-- With AAP

© 2006 The Age

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