Alex Woodward Biography

Former Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward has been crushed by the news he requires a fourth knee reconstruction, but is determined to overcome his latest setback.

The 23-year-old was delisted by the Hawks at the end of last year and signed with Collingwood's VFL side in time for 2017 in a bid to reignite his AFL career.

Woodward, who returned from his third knee reconstruction late last season after going down in July 2015 playing in the VFL, took to social media on Monday night to reveal his latest heartbreaking injury.

"Today was a tough day. The news of needing to go through another knee reconstruction all over again is exhausting in so many ways for me and my loved ones," Woodward posted on Twitter.

"Coming to terms with what has happened will not be easy and quite painful for a while.

"Sometimes the only way to start again is to accept defeat no matter how difficult that may be."

Matt Spangher is one of seven players delisted by Hawthorn.

Jack Fitzpatrick also departs the club after one season while defender Angus Litherland and midfielder Zac Webster have also been cut from the primary list.

Rookie-listed players Lachlan Langford, Jermaine Miller-Lewis and Alex Woodward have also been released.

Alex Woodward makes an uplifting return to football after his third right knee reconstruction, successfully getting through his scheduled half of football on Sunday.

Nearly 12 months after he went down clutching his knee against Werribee last season, the 23-year-old made a low-key return for Box Hill's development team against the Northern Blues, and dominated from the outset.

Woodward had 13 touches in the opening term and collected another five before being taken out of the game at half-time.

He also finished with three tackles, two clearances and a couple of inside 50s in Box Hill's 37-point win.

Luckless Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward is set to make a long-awaited and heartwarming return from his third right knee reconstruction this weekend.

After nearly 12 months in rehab, Woodward will make a low-key comeback in the VFL's development league and play a half for Box Hill's reserves against the Northern Blues.

"The plan is to train with Box Hill this week and play 60 minutes of game time with the development team," Hawks general manager of football operations Chris Fagan said.

"He's well-and-truly on the comeback trail. He's been training well now for a couple of months and looks like he's right to go."

A setback on his journey back from a third knee reconstruction hasn't deterred Hawthorn midfielder Alex Woodward from his goal of returning to football later this season.

Woodward, who ruptured the ACL in his right knee for the third time playing in the VFL last July, is still making steady progress towards playing again despite recently having to scale back his training workload.

"I started training with the boys about a month ago," Woodward said.

"Unfortunately I broke down a little bit, so I had to pull back, but hopefully I'll get back into things in a couple of weeks.

"In terms of the injury, my pre-season has been pretty smooth, which has been good.

"I'm aiming to hopefully get about half a season out, from June – that's the aim."

Hawthorn delists injury-plagued midfielder Alex Woodward but says it is hopeful of re-drafting the 22-year-old as a rookie if he is not picked up by a rival club first.

"Hawthorn is committed to assisting Alex Woodward as he continues his rehabilitation program after rupturing his ACL in July," Hawks list manager Graham Wright said.

"We’re hopeful of re-selecting Alex in the rookie draft if he is not selected by another team prior to that."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says if anyone is going to make a successful return from a third knee reconstruction, it will be young midfielder Alex Woodward.

"One thing that does occur when you have to go through that process, you become a very, very resilient character and he is certainly that way," Clarkson said of Woodward.

Woodward has played just two senior games with the Hawks but won the 2014 Liston Trophy as the VFL's best and fairest, and was biding his time waiting for an opportunity.

"There [have] been instances where guys have come back from some serious hardship like this and given the character of the lad we think he is one who can come back and play some good footy for us," Clarkson said.

Hawthorn is preparing itself for the news midfielder Alex Woodward requires a third right knee reconstruction after going down in the VFL.

The 22-year-old went to ground clutching his knee in the opening minutes of Box Hill's 100-point win against Coburg and was taken off the field on a stretcher.

On Sunday night, Woodward tweeted: "The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph."

"He was running across half-back, he kicked the ball and at the same time someone came across and it almost looked like it was a knee-on-knee contact but I think it was on landing … that the leg just seemed to buckle underneath him," Box Hill coach Marco Bello said.

"Unfortunately with someone of his history, something little like that can be quite devastating."

Alex Woodward wins the 2014 J.J. Liston Trophy for the best and fairest in the VFL.

Woodward finished with 20 votes to beat North Ballarat's Liam Anthony (17) and Footscray's Tom Campbell (15), who missed the final five matches after being called up to play seniors with the Western Bulldogs.

Alex Woodward makes his AFL debut for Hawthorn at the MCG with 3 disposals (2 kicks and a handball) in a 10-point win over Sydney.

Alex Woodward says he wants to be sure he is fully recovered from a knee reconstruction before returning to the senior side.

"I'm not looking towards playing games – that's too far away, especially in my situation," Woodward said.

"By the time I get back into it I want to be really comfortable and 100 per cent confident with my movements on the field.

"I've just got to keep ticking the boxes, and when it comes to the NAB Cup, hopefully I'll be ready to throw my hand up, and hopefully my training efforts will warrant a game."

Sam Mitchell says the team feels Alex Woodward's pain after the youngster injured his knee during training in mid-January, requiring a second knee reconstruction.

"Something like that happens and there's just this melancholy feeling for the rest of that day, and probably for a couple of days after it," Mitchell said.

"You know that that's a guy that's going through something that probably no one should have to really go through.

"It's a horrible part of our game but it's something that you have to deal with in life, but like Max Bailey, he'll come back stronger for it."

Young Hawk midfielder Alex Woodward will require another knee reconstruction and will miss the rest of the season after tearing the graft on his repaired anterior cruciate ligament during training.

"To suffer two knee injuries so early in his career is not only unlucky but also presents Alex with a huge challenge. We are certain Alex's strong character will get him through this tough period and as a club we will offer both him and his family a great deal of support," Hawthorn's general manager of football operations Mark Evans said.

"Alex approached his initial rehabilitation with absolute professionalism and enthusiasm and we expect he will take the same approach again this time."

Hawthorn draftee Alex Woodward will miss the 2012 season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

"He is bitterly disappointed, but we're confident he has a promising career ahead of him," Hawthorn football operations general manager Mark Evans said about Woodward.

"Alex's attitude in his approach to dealing with the injury and the prospect of surgery and rehabilitation is first class."