Hawks to make late call on O’Meara

Hawthorn will make a last-minute call on star midfielder Jaeger O’Meara’s availability for their round two AFL clash with Geelong.

The Hawks’ vice-captain is in doubt to play at GMHBA Stadium next Friday night after suffering a small facial fracture last month.

O’Meara copped a knock to the face when Hawthorn returned to full-contact training in the lead-up to the league’s restart.

Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said the 26-year-old might still face the Cats but with some sort of helmet to protect the facial injury.

A final decision won’t be made on O’Meara until late next week.

“We’re hopeful and he’s hopeful that he’ll be available to play,” Clarkson told reporters.

“We’re still exploring some sort of guard or facial padding.

“If you looked at him, his manner around the footy club, you wouldn’t know there’s anything wrong.

“We’ll just work that out with the surgeons and the doctors Wednesday or Thursday next week.”

Former Gold Coast O’Meara ace was one of the Hawks’ best in their round one win over Brisbane in March, after reigniting his formidable midfield partnership with Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell.

Defender Blake Hardwick is no certainty to play against Geelong as he recovers from a a ruptured pectoral muscle.

“Unless you’ve had a horror loss in round one, I don’t think there will be wholesale changes to sides,” Clarkson said.

“We’ll pretty much run out with the side that played against Brisbane.”

The Hawks will play the Cats in Geelong for the first time in 14 years, but Clarkson said the hosts’ fortress holds no fears for his team.

“History would say that it’s been a significant advantage because their win-loss record has been very significant,” Clarkson said.

“Ironically enough the last time we played down there (in 2006) we won by 52 points.”

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