Saints confident Hannebery OK after hammy tweak

ST Kilda recruit Dan Hannebery has been troubled again by a hamstring but the club is adamant the midfielder is on track to feature in the upcoming JLT Community Series.

The former Swan was withdrawn from a match simulation on February 1, completing drills on the sideline after reporting hamstring tightness.

Scans indicated no strain and, while his training load was altered, the star was able to engage in an arduous running session over some 11km.

“Dan experienced some hamstring tightness during match simulation training 10 days ago but scans cleared him of any strain,” a Saints spokesman said.

“His workload has been reduced slightly and he’ll step up his training over the next week as the club continues to take a conservative approach.

“It’s a minor issue which isn’t expected to impact his preparations for the season.”

Hannebery, 27, who joined the club at the end of last season on a five-year deal, reported a similar issue with the same leg in December with scans then clear.

Given his history with hamstring injuries, the club has kept a close eye on Hannebery’s training load in recent months as he builds towards his 11th AFL season.

The club said he was expected to play in at least one preseason match with the Saints to play North Melbourne on March 2 and the Western Bulldogs on March 10.