Hawthorn have suffered a massive blow with star defender Tom Barrass suffering a hamstring injury in the first half of Thursday night's blockbuster against Fremantle.
Barrass appeared to grab at his left hamstring during the second quarter when Fremantle were lining up for goal. He made his way to the bench and quickly had it iced up.
“That is a massive story for Hawthorn,” Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor said.
Barrass had been manned up on Fremantle power forward Josh Treacy, who kicked one goal in the first quarter. While the defender's absence for the rest of the game will cause immediate problems, it will also leave a big hole in the backline in the coming weeks.
The Hawks have a tough month coming up with matches against Melbourne, Adelaide, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.
“This is a big out,” Channel 7 commentator and West Coast AFLW coach Daisy Pearce said at half-time. “This is going to have big implications tonight and moving forward in Hawthorn's season. They have a tough run coming up.”
Barrass was back in Perth for just the second time since his move to Hawthorn from West Coast at the end of 2024. The 30-year-old has been a staple in the Hawks' backline and along with fellow key defender Josh Battle, is a big reason for their rise to genuine premiership contenders over the past two years.
