HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson is confident that his backline won't be adversely affected by the likely season-ending hamstring injury to key defender Brent Guerra.
Guerra was in slashing form for the Hawks before tearing his hamstring deep in the final quarter of Friday night's win over West Coast at the MCG, and his absence robs the side of aggression and skill for Friday night's qualifying final against Collingwood.
"He's been a significant player for us for six or seven years and he'll be missed, but when you get to the end of the season playing these high-intensity games you're going to lose players to injury," Clarkson said on Monday morning.
"Hopefully the depth of our squad will be able to cover 'Goo', but not only is he an important member of our squad on the field - off the field, he's a beauty, too."
"He'll be sorely missed, but we have to move on with someone else."
But all may not be lost for Guerra.
Football manager Mark Evans told SEN radio on Monday morning Guerra was determined to get back and play this September and the Hawks would back him to do so.
"I think he could tell when he did it it was the wrong time of the year to get a hamstring injury," Evans said.
"So we're not trying to say this is a fait accompli and he comes back and plays.
"But he's prepared to give it a bit of a go and so are we. So we'll give him every opportunity to see where he can get to."
Clarkson said he had yet to turn his mind to Guerra's replacement, although 2008 premiership midfielder Xavier Ellis would appear the logical choice.
Asked about the strapping around superstar forward Lance Franklin's hamstring at the end of last week's match, Clarkson said there were no concerns at all.
"He had it strapped early on and his first kick was 60 metres, so if there were any concerns about it I don't think he would have been able to make that distance," he said.
And he also quelled speculation that forward Jack Gunston was battling to overcome a rolled ankle suffered against the Eagles.
"He's good as gold," he said, adding that the former Crow was substituted out of Friday night's match so that Cyril Rioli could come off the bench to play his scheduled 40 minutes.
Hawthorn skipper Luke Hodge revealed on Monday that as he battled knee soreness for much of the season, his hope was to play just the last four matches of the home and away season in a bid to prepare for the finals.
But he ended up playing the last six and was really åpleased with how well he ran out the tough season-closing fortnight against the Sydney Swans and the Eagles.
"The more games I played, the better I felt, particularly the last two weeks," he said.
You can follow AFL Media senior writer Ashley Browne on Twitter @afl_hashbrowne
