MATT SUCKLING’s return from a knee reconstruction is edging closer after the lethal left-footer got through unscathed in Friday’s intra-club match at the Ricoh Centre.
The 25 year old hasn’t played since March last year but appeared unhindered by his reconstructed knee, impressing in his first hit-out under match conditions in eleven months.
Speaking to hawthornfc.com.au after the practice match, Suckling said he hasn’t been concerned with his knee for some time as his return date edges closer.
“I’ve been lucky that I haven’t thought about the knee for about a month now so out there I wasn’t thinking about it at all,” he said.
“It was more the heart and lungs that were blowing up - as far as the knee goes, it’s fine I’m not thinking about it.”
Suckling could make his long awaited return in two weeks, with the Hawks scheduled to play North Melbourne in Tasmania on 21 February, the second of the Club’s NAB Challenge matches.
General Manager – Football Operations, Chris Fagan said on Monday the defender is unlikely to feature against the Lions in the opening NAB Challenge match on Thursday night but is a genuine chance to face the Kangaroos.
“He probably won't play Round 1 (of the pre-season competition), but he would be a chance for Round 2 depending on how he keeps progressing,'' he said.
"Pretty much since Christmas time he has been in full skills training, running and joining in training as normal.''
"He's going well but we're not going to rush him. When they're ready, they're ready. But we think he will play sometime during the NAB.”
Suckling admitted playing in Friday’s intra-club match was like re-living his first training session with the Hawks.
“I struggled to get to sleep last night,” he said. “(But) I knew I’d done all the work and knew I was ready.
“I think I woke up at about 6 o’clock this morning and rolled straight out of bed. I jumped up and had a shower and was ready to go at about a quarter past six - I was very excited.”
Fellow knee victim Alex Woodward also got through the practice match unscathed, following his second knee reconstruction in as many years.
Suckling said it was great to share the moment with the man with whom he’d shared the ups and downs of past year.
“We messaged each other this morning and said just to enjoy it,” he said.
“Twelve months out of the game – you take it for granted sometimes when you’re playing week to week so to get back out there and playing, it’s really exciting.”
Participating in Friday’s intra-club was the first big step to making his return, with the damaging left-footer now focused on match conditioning as he aims to be ready for the start of the season.
“It was hard out here today but I suppose I’ve been running all last year and through the pre-season so I feel pretty confident in my fitness, it’s just that match fitness is a little bit different,” he said.
“It was definitely a big blow out today.”
