'Bit frustrating': What Clarko has over Hinkley for Chad Wingard

Hawthorn might have lost Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell but Chad Wingard doesn’t expect to spend any extra time in the midfield.

In fact, he doesn’t even want to.

The 25-year-old spent much of his time at Port Adelaide being moved back and forth between the midfield and forward line by coach Ken Hinkley.

Hawks counterpart Alastair Clarkson has promised he won’t do the same – not even with Mitchell on the sidelines.

“Clarko recruited me as a forward,” he said.

“At Port I was a bit of a mix and it was a bit frustrating at times playing a little bit of both as I couldn’t quite find the balance.

“I’ve been working pretty close with Clarko and from what I’ve been told that won’t change (with Tom out).

“We’ve got some midfielders in there who can really step up.”

The star recruit will sit out Hawthorn’s opening game of the season against Adelaide this weekend, and he is no certainty to play in round two.

The former Port Adelaide forward battled calf tightness through the pre-season, before suffering a setback at training late last month.

“There’s no end date, it’s one of those things where you can’t really tell,” Wingard said at Kayo’s AFL season launch.

“I thought I was ready to play in JLT one and it happened – the same injury, same spot – so I will take it a little bit slower this time.

“Hopefully round two but I’ve just got to respect it because if I rush it and do it again it could be four or five weeks.”

The dual All-Australian said his only disappointment in the move to the Hawks was that he missed the opportunity to play alongside game-breaker Cyril Rioli, who retired midway through the 2018 season.

“As soon as the trade went through I messaged him and tried to recruit him back because I’d love to play with him,” Wingard said.

with AAP