Shoulder reconstruction, four-month rehab for Hawks star
Hawthorn’s Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell has undergone shoulder reconstruction surgery this week.
Mitchell aggravated an old shoulder complaint in a training session in June before the AFL season re-commenced following the pandemic break.
Mitchell will be training again after Christmas, the club said. Credit:Getty Images
The 27-year-old ball magnet was able to play every game in 2020 despite this. He finished second in the club’s best and fairest behind Jack Gunston.
Mitchell had missed all of 2019 with a broken leg.
Mitchell's teammate Conor Nash also had a shoulder reconstruction this week.
The pair will need up to four months to recover.
"Like with a lot of footballers, Tom has had a grumbly shoulder joint for a number of years and it's something he has managed well over his career," Hawks physical performance manager Luke Boyd said.
“Both these surgeries were the type that could wait until the end of the season, which now gives the pair a good chunk of time to focus on their rehab.
"Both Tom and Conor will require three-to-four months of rehab and should return to training after Christmas."
Mitchell posted a photo of himself and Nash to Instagram on Wednesday.
“2020 in a nutshell,” he wrote in a caption.
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