HAWTHORN star Will Day has avoided surgery to repair the navicular bone in the foot he re-injured against Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval last Friday night.
The 24-year-old was ruled out for the rest of the season on Saturday after scans discovered a hot spot in the foot he had operated on in April.
Further assessments this week have cleared Day of the need to undergo further surgery and revealed no fracture to the bone that was repaired after a stress fracture was discovered in his right foot after round three.
Bone inflammation has been found in his foot and another issue further down his foot, but Hawthorn is hopeful Day will be fully fit by the start of pre-season.
Day underwent surgery on the navicular bone in April and didn’t play for four months.
The 2023 Peter Crimmins Medallist was cleared to return a week before he faced Carlton in round 20 and starred across both games before reporting soreness in his foot after Friday night’s loss to the Crows.
Hawthorn is confident Day can make a full recovery, but the latest setback unfortunately ends his season on just six appearances, restricting him to under half a season for the third time in his six-year career.
Navicular bone injuries have impacted plenty of stars across this century, including Essendon legend James Hird, who broke his three times and required two rounds of surgery.
Matthew Egan never played again after he became All-Australian for the first time at the age of 24 due to complications after he broke his navicular at the end of the 2007 home and away season, missing out on Geelong’s first flag under Mark Thompson.
Former Melbourne captain Jack Trengove didn’t play for two years due to the problematic injury that prevented him for reaching the heights projected for him when he was selected at pick No. 2 in 2009.
Jesse Hogan suffered a navicular injury at Melbourne in 2018 and then again at Fremantle in 2019, but has since become a Coleman Medallist and All-Australian.
Cam Mackenzie is in line to replace Day in Sam Mitchell’s 23 this Thursday night after a strong showing for Box Hill on the weekend.
The 2022 pick No. 7 finished with 28 touches against Southport after collecting 27 a fortnight earlier against Williamstown.
Mackenzie hasn’t played since he was subbed out of the loss to Fremantle at Optus Stadium in round 18.
