Hawks looking strong

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson hopes six extra weeks of pre-season training, compared with last year, will put his side in a much stronger position entering tonight's NAB Cup clash against Richmond in Launceston.

Burgoyne up and running for Hawks

WHEN he was recruited to Hawthorn, Shaun Burgoyne hobbled out on crutches to speak excitedly of his move to a new club.

Corica cleared for Sydney comeback but groin injury cuts down Kisel

EVERGREEN Sydney FC captain Steve Corica will make his return from injury against Newcastle on Sunday but the club has been hit with a fresh concern over fellow midfielder Karol Kisel, who will miss the game with a groin problem.

Injured Stokes falls on his sword

IT COULD have been the bad memories of playing injured players in last year's grand final, or an unwillingness to disturb a winning team, or even the desire for grand-final discards of previous years not to miss out again.

Stokes takes final cut with grace and humour

IT MAY have been remembering the folly of playing injured players in last year's grand final, it may have been an unwillingness to disturb a winning team, it may even have been a desire that grand final discards of previous years not miss out again. Irrespective of the reason the consequence is clear: when the Geelong team runs out onto the MCG tomorrow, Mathew Stokes will not be part of it.

Thornton fronts up for Carlton win

AFTER Bret Thornton collided with Paul Bower during the opening quarter on Friday night, the Carlton defender had no idea whether he could even play in any more of the match, let alone have a handy say in how it turned out.

Renouf puts hand up for Hawks recall

HAWTHORN midfielder Clinton Young suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a groin injury during the week and failed to play for Box Hill in yesterday's 49-point loss to Port Melbourne at TEAC Oval.

Groin Injury Sidelines Pattinson For Vics

DOVETON roof tiler, England Test cricketer and, more importantly, Victorian fast bowler Darren Pattinson injured a groin at training yesterday and will miss the Bushrangers' first home game in the Ford Ranger Cup at the MCG today.

Windies Brace To Meet The Challenge

THE captain, Chris Gayle, has a pain in his groin.

Harwood, Players' Pick As Best Non-international Bowler In Twenty20

THOUGH a groin injury kept Shane Harwood from roughing up India's batsmen, the rugged Victorian quick can take some comfort from the knowledge that he is regarded by fellow players as the best of a downtrodden bunch - Twenty20 bowlers.

Thompson Sore As Mariners Thin

MELBOURNE Victory striker Archie Thompson limped out of training with groin soreness yesterday but the champion frontman hopes to be fit to take on the Central Coast Mariners on Sunday.

Freier Stoked By French Furnace

SOME good came out of the groin injury that sidelined Adam Freier ahead of the Wallabies' match against France in Marseilles in 2005.

Visit To Surgeon Is Top Priority, Then The Clubs

CHRIS Judd flew in to Melbourne last night saying it was good to be home and that his first priority would be seeing a surgeon for an assessment of the groin injury that crippled his past few games with West Coast.

Judd Rules Out Any More Injury Breaks

CHRIS Judd will enjoy every minute of West Coast's nine-day break leading into next Sunday's western derby. But the captain believes his chronic groin injury is getting better by the week and will not require a late-season break.

Osteitis Pubis Won't Stop Ball This Season As Saints Talk Finals

ST KILDA midfielder Luke Ball uttered the dreaded "OP" in relation to his continuing groin problem last night, but said he was confident of seeing out the season.

Patience Vital As Mystery Of Groin Goes On

SO THIS is what the great unknown is like. It's unfamiliar territory for me, and I must admit I'll be a little bit anxious heading to training this afternoon.

Encouraged Coach Won't Rush Hall's Return

SYDNEY are likely to name Barry Hall in their line-up to take on Fremantle on Sunday at the SCG, but a final decision on whether he will return from his groin injury won't be made until Friday's final training session.

Growing Strains Of Groin Pains

IT WASN'T as though I was oblivious to it or that I was trying to fool anyone. It wasn't until I was in the office this week with Roosy and Johnny Blakey that it really hit me. We went through a few things and there was vision of me and my speed off the mark, and it showed I was a bit slower than usual.

Unlucky 113 As Groin Strain Ends Battling Hall's Run

FOR the first time in almost five years, Sydney will be without co-captain Barry Hall this weekend after the Swans' medical staff decided he needed a break from football.

Titans' Win Proves Costly

Titans 28 Raiders 8 ASKED yesterday whether the new Gold Coast franchise was where he wanted it to be at the season's halfway mark, Titans coach John Cartwright answered unequivocally that it was. But he added a major footnote. Or should that be a leg-note. After losing Brad Meyers to a possibly season-ending knee injury yesterday and Michael Hodgson for a stint on the sidelines with groin troubles, Cartwright said he hadn't counted on losing so many forwards in his first stint as an NRL coach. ...