O’Meara is shelved with fresh knee injury

JAEGER O’Meara’s immediate playing future is on hold because of a new knee injury that will keep the star midfielder out until late in the season.

But Hawthorn’s prized recruit insists that it is merely a “hiccup”.

O’Meara, 23, has a history of knee problems, the most recent of which has sidelined him since Round 6.

The Hawks revealed yesterday bone stress in a kneecap was the latest setback.

O’Meara maintains that he intends to play again later this season.

“Obviously I’d love to be out there playing with the boys, but I’ve had a little bit of a hiccup,” he said yesterday.

“We know what it (the injury) is now and I’m doing a solid block of training.

“I’m looking to play some more footy towards the back end of the year, but at the moment we’ve just had to put the handbrake on a little bit and reassess.”

Despite it occurring in the same knee – the right – the Hawks are adamant the injury is not related to the patella tendon problem that has plagued him since he ruptured the tendon in 2015 while at Gold Coast Suns.

The Hawks had no timeline on a return for O’Meara and had wanted to reassess him after last weekend’s bye in the hope he could play again in coming weeks.

But the problem had persisted and the club now hopes for a late-season return for the young gun.

When O’Meara joined the Hawks at the end of last season, he had not played a senior game for two seasons because of knee issues that had required surgery.

The Suns nursed O’Meara through his rehabilitation before the midfield gun decided to chase a change of direction with the Hawks.

His decision to leave was met with frustration from Gold Coast, due to the resources that had been expended on his recovery.