Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn: Mitchell Lewis. Extended to 2026!

[Philhawk]

Where is this mentioned?

I think we’re just speculating.

I’m sure we want to be cautious, but I was surprised how well McStay seemed to move on the weekend after what, 8 months?

I’d expect him to get clearance for full movement by end of May next year and to have completed a “mini preseason” by end of July.

So basically this time next year, pending no disruptions.

 

[MC_9]

Standard practice with ACL recover is minimum 12 months, preferably 18. That's essentially how much time Sic spent out of the side. It means 2026.

Since when is that standard practice. 9-10 months is the norm these days.

That has him back mid way through next year.

On Pixel 6 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Since when is that standard practice. 9-10 months is the norm these days.

That has him back mid way through next year.

On Pixel 6 using BigFooty.com mobile app

18 months is the optimal time for an ACL recovery, as per very detailed studies across a range of professional sports.

 

[mustang]

18 months is the optimal time for an ACL recovery, as per very detailed studies across a range of professional sports.

This is why we need to plan for him not to play with us again, then when he returns it will be a bonus, and he won’t be the number 1 forward.

As we can’t stand still waiting for him to return.

 

[rei154]

Since when is that standard practice. 9-10 months is the norm these days.

That has him back mid way through next year.

On Pixel 6 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Don't think 9-10 is current norm??
I thought those were mostly fringe-cases a la Dan McStay.

If that is the norm though that's bloody exciting.

 

[MC_9]

Don't think 9-10 is current norm??
I thought those were mostly fringe-cases a la Dan McStay.

If that is the norm though that's bloody exciting.

Macstay came back in 8 months. That is faster than normal.

Obviously dependent on the rehab and the player, but typical target full team training 9-10 months from injury. Then it will be about building up a body of work to get some match conditioning.

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[Hawkers Hero]

All going well (nothing is linear as the club keeps saying!) we are well into a strong finals run this time next year with a KPF pairing and bunch of small forwards who have played 30 odd games together and have formed a real connection.

As much as I love Mitch, with his earlier injury, he will be at best 18months out of the seniors and there is real risk of disrupting a performing team at a crucial part of the season if we 'rush' him back.

Obviously if the team has a regression year or there are injuries it is a different story but getting him cherry ripe to hit the full pre-season in 2026 may be the better plan.

 

[KermitJagger]

Since when is that standard practice. 9-10 months is the norm these days.

That has him back mid way through next year.

On Pixel 6 using BigFooty.com mobile app

It really isn't the norm.

The recovery process from ACL surgery may be quicker as medical science advances, higher quality grafts, but rehabilitation is more cautious and takes more time. McStay might have come back sooner rather than later but at only 8 months it remains to be seen whether that's a good idea or not, we can't tell in the moment but if he has another rupture it's more evidence against it. Sicily injured his ACL in August of 2020, he didn't return to senior football until Rd 1 2022. He may have returned earlier if it lined up that he could, but certainly not within 12 months.

There are multiple studies reflecting that the chance of re-occurrence is higher within the first 2 years following a reconstruction (some suggest a 1:3 chance), generally younger people and athletes can return to sports earlier than that and not have any negative outcomes but for someone like Lewis where there is a significant history of knee issues which he has struggled to recover from they're likely to err more on the side of caution, fix any underlying asymmetries in movement and muscular deficiencies and 100% ensure that he is back at a functional baseline before getting him back on the field.

I can cite sources if you're interested, but just from watching AFL you can see how longer term reconstruction timelines have helped players. You rarely see incidents like Menzel, Schoenmakers, Patton, Woodward, Morabito where there are multiple ruptures within 2-3 year periods.

 

[TazHawk15]

It really isn't the norm.

The recovery process from ACL surgery may be quicker as medical science advances, higher quality grafts, but Sicily injured his ACL in August of 2020, he didn't return to senior football until Rd 1 2020.

Wow that sure is some medical advance if a guy does his ACL in August 2020 and still managed to play round 1 2020

 

[KermitJagger]

Wow that sure is some medical advance if a guy does his ACL in August 2020 and still managed to play round 1 2020

Oh dear, this is the 3rd time in a week I've been caught out needing to proofread.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Writing Mitch off completely for next year is a bit premature. Let’s see how the rehab progresses first. I thought McStay moved well and looked good on Saturday.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Sicily done his knee late in the season meaning it was pointless trying to play a few games late the following season when the team was not in contention, hence the 18 months. Sic could have played late 2021. Mitch will play next year unless there is a setback in his rehab.

 

[bigmaxi]

Too many health professionals in this chat. I’m out.

 

[SammyC]

yes medical advice rules obviously but 12 mths is generally seen as a safe timeframe. Sicily could have played at 12 mths (or sooner) but there was zero point playing the last handful of games given where we were at the time.

But do people seriously think if we are in the finals mix this time next year that we would leave our best KPF on ice rather than look for the extra 5% and go for gold. You don’t get many chances in this game.

But if worst happens and we bomb next year, maybe we hold him back.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Bugs1977]

18 months is the optimal time for an ACL recovery, as per very detailed studies across a range of professional sports.

Correct. What McStay is doing now coming back so early is madness and the chances of the ACL graft rupturing is higher. 12 months is the advised recovery time for an ACL but yes recent studies have shown that 18 months allows the ACL graft to bind with the chances of re-injury a whole lot lower. It's important however to remember that everyone is different and heal at different rates but in McStay's case you'd have to wonder who the hell is advising him there and they'll look like gooses if he does it again.

 

[Bugs1977]

yes medical advice rules obviously but 12 mths is generally seen as a safe timeframe. Sicily could have played at 12 mths (or sooner) but there was zero point playing the last handful of games given where we were at the time.

But do people seriously think if we are in the finals mix this time next year that we would leave our best KPF on ice rather than look for the extra 5% and go for gold. You don’t get many chances in this game.

But if worst happens and we bomb next year, maybe we hold him back.

Yes but you have to remember that the final decision on a return isn't just made by the club + clubs medical advisors / doctors. In a lot of cases in sport world wide now, athletes will also have their own medical advisors / doctors. Athletes are starting to go this route (having there own advisors) because due to the cut throat competitive nature of the sport teams have been known to rush athletes back way too early causing re-injury to happen.

The re-injury numbers of athletes that take the 18 month route over the 12 month route is considerably lower. A lot of the time with an ACL rupture the chances of the opposite ACL rupturing increases.

 

[lethalselbow]

Good luck to the guy. He'll be like an amazing bonus to the list, when he's back.

Time has this funny way of passing and he'll be back before we know it.

Go Hawks!

 

[kazzooka]

From those ACL injuries in the past i've always felt that the more successful comebacks have been players that just declare the whole season out. McStay is really remarkable but it's an individual case where perhaps they were really confident in the surgery and his rehab progress, or they are mad.

Often if a player does ACL in latter part of year or pre-season the entire next season is ruled out. Lewis will likely be back ready to go in late July next season but with very little conditioning so we may well say, why play 2-3 warm up games at Box Hill and then you have 2 games left before finals. The club will make a call on the risks and might just decide to give it longer and let him have a full preseason to build fitness and confidence before he's back playing games.

 

[I wanna pash Nash]

When Mitch completes the appropriate physical and mental recovery checkpoints in his rehab the fitness staff and him will plan out a return based on the risk/reward ratio.

Too much water to go under the bridge to make a strong prediction either way. But I would think if finals aren't on the cards the reward part of that equation takes a pretty strong hit. If they are on the cards, both parties will assess the risk profile and way up the possible reward. It's that simple.

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Melksham, Ashcroft and McStay or looking good returning before the 12 month time frame. Good luck in your recovery Mitchy.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Mrzohs]

Goodluck Mitchy all the best! Hopefully the boys are giving you some extra motivation at the minute.

 

[Guju]

Good luck Mitch, hope you have a speedy recovery

 

[lyger]

Good luck Mitch!

I really hope this is the turning point and you finally get to have an extended injury free run, and return to your awesome best.