By ROY WARD
NOBLE Park resident and Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward will miss the engtire 2012 AFL season after rupturing his right anterior cruciate ligament on Saturday.
He was injured while making a tackle in the Hawks’ 74-point win over Greater Western Sydney Giants at Aurora Stadium, Tasmania, during an NAB Cup match.
Woodward was drafted by the Hawks with pick 53 in the 2011 AFL draft and had impressed his teammates and coaches during his first pre-season with the club.
Hawks football operations manager Mark Evans said Woodward would undergo a traditional reconstruction on his knee later this week.
‘‘Alex’s work ethic has been fantastic and he’s found good form in the matches he’s played over pre-season,’’ Evans said.
‘‘He’s bitterly disappointed but we’re confident he has a promising career ahead of him. Alex’s attitude in his approach to dealing with the injury and the prospect of surgery and rehabilitation is first class.’’
