Campbell Set To Return But Tait's Lame Again

Illawarra Mercury

Friday November 9, 2007

By TIM KEEBLE

WOLLONGONG Hawks captain Mat Campbell is set to make his comeback from injury against Townsville tonight at WIN Entertainment Centre.

But the Hawks continued to play tag team in the casualty ward, with playmaker Lindsay Tait breaking down with a recurring shoulder injury at yesterday's light training session.

Tait dislocated the shoulder and is in doubt for the clash with the Crocodiles and tomorrow night's away game against Cairns.

Campbell's return should help the ninth-placed Hawks.

After missing the past three games with an Achilles tear, the 13th-year guard trained at full tilt yesterday and later said he was almost certain to play.

He also confirmed he would make the trip to Cairns.

"I'll see what the doc says and see how it pulls up in the morning, but it feels good right now and I'd say I'll be playing," Campbell said.

"I've got all the advice and it's ultimately my decision. Obviously I don't want to rush it if it's not right so I have to be careful, but I really don't want to miss any more games.

"This last little patch of games equals the number of games I'd previously missed in my whole career. I'm not accustomed to missing games."

The Hawks (3-6) are aiming to bounce back from last week's road loss to the South Dragons.

"We've won a couple at home now and it'd be good to make it three in a row," Wollongong coach Eric Cooks said.

"If we play our style and play with the energy we showed in today's short session, we should do well.

"We've still got defensive issues because we're giving up too many points. But we're scoring a lot of points, our turnovers are down and the signs are there that we're heading in the right direction."

© 2007 Illawarra Mercury

Back to News Index | Back to Home