Former Hawk reacts to Calsher Dear injury news

Hawthorn youngster Calsher Dear is dealing with a bone stress injury in his lower back.

The 19-year-old will be sidelined for the foreseeable future as the Hawks determine a path forward with his rehab.

Dear, who was taken with Pick 56 in the 2023 draft, took many by surprise in season 2024 by playing 17 AFL games and kicking 25 goals.

But the injury coincides with the pitfalls of playing kids early and how developing bodies can be impacted, according to former Hawk Campbell Brown.

“It’s probably one of the things that comes from a young body, a young frame,” Brown said on SEN Breakfast.

“When he got drafted 12 months ago they didn’t know or think that he would play a lot of football. He burst onto the scene, ended up playing 17 games and had an unbelievable year.

“But with that obviously comes the stresses on the body and these related stress fractures that aren’t great.

“As footy fans we love getting games into the new recruits and the young guys. Every now and then we say, ‘Why are we resting a player? Why’s he been put out to pasture a month early?’, and that’s to manage the loads on the body for longevity rather than just a short period of time.

“Things like this can bob up on young players.”

The Hawks have not yet placed a timeframe on Dear’s return as they seek further scans on the injured area.

“Calsher has already begun an offloading period to enable his injury to heal,” club doctor Liam West said.

“Scans have indicated bone stress in his lower back. We will get more information from ongoing physical assessment and further scans, and this will determine an exact recovery timeline.”

The good news for Hawks fans is that Dear also signed a new contract with the club until the end of 2026.

List boss Mark McKenzie was delighted to extend Dear beyond the initial two years he penned after being drafted.

“After drafting Calsher as an exciting prospect last year, we have been thrilled with his progress in the brown and gold to date,” McKenzie said in a club statement.

“On the back of an impressive debut year where he managed 17 games, Calsher was able to showcase his potential as a developing key forward by booting 25 goals.

“At just 19 years, he continues to work closely with our coaches and mentors, like Jack Gunston, and we’re very excited about what’s to come for Calsher in this new deal and beyond.”

Dear’s 25 majors for the brown and gold in 2024 ranked equal sixth at the club and he took the fifth most marks inside with 27, a superb return for a first-year key forward.