Scans have confirmed that Hawthorn head physio Andrew Lambert has suffered tendon damage in both hamstrings, one of which will require surgery. Lambert provided a rather comical moment when he mysteriously tumbled over twice in the final quarter of Thursday night’s pulsating draw between Collingwood and Hawthorn at the MCG.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen that,” star Seven commentator Brian Taylor said at the time. Lambert is one of the most highly regarded medicos in footy and time away from the club is a blow for the Hawks. He’ll miss next week’s game against Fremantle in Perth, which is set to be one of the first clashes he’s missed in over 20 years of service at Hawthorn.
Hawthorn premiership players Luke Hodge and Isaac Smith, who were both at the MCG working as commentators, were in the Hawks rooms post-match to check on him. Before realising the severity of the injury, however, Smith was one of many to have a cheeky dig at the physio. “He likes taking the piss out of everyone so that’ll be highlighted on Monday. I might head down to Dingley,” Smith said on Triple M when the incident happened.
After the game, Hawthorn star Connor Macdonald told Channel 7 that he had a “bit of chuckle when our physio went down and then he went down a second time”. “So I’m sure we’ll get stuck in him for that,” Macdonald said. “Will he make the review, your physio?” Bec Maddern asked. “He’ll be in the highlights, for sure,” Macdonald said.
Lambert added to the carnage of the night, which was felt particularly by Collingwood. Ruckman Darcy Cameron (ankle) limped his way through the closing stages of the game while utility Harry Perryman (hamstring) came off in the second quarter and looks unlikely to face Geelong next Saturday. Veteran midfielder Steele Sidebottom played through a hand injury, gun forward Jamie Elliott had a back issue, and superstar Nick Daicos (hip) was clearly sore and had treatment throughout the game.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae praised Perryman after the match, saying: “He’s a tough lad, this one ... I said, ‘how is it?’ He goes: ‘pretty good’. I said, ‘nine days’ time, I’m not sure’...” McRae said Perryman would have a scan while Sidebottom’s hand looked “pretty swollen”. “We tried to get him to do a bit of a job on (James) Sicily, and he fought through that for us, was really important for the team,” said McRae. “Darcy’s got an ankle, so I’m not sure, he’ll get it scanned (on Friday).”
