Geelong Cats insist forward Tom Hawkins will be fit for AFL grand final despite missing training with illness

Geelong are adamant Tom Hawkins will be fit to play in the AFL grand final against Richmond despite the Coleman medallist missing Tuesday’s training session through illness.

A club spokesperson said Hawkins had been told to stay away from teammates after feeling unwell.

The power forward has a sore throat, an ailment believed to have been passed on by one of his children.

Hawkins’ young family is staying with him at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, where a small group of Geelong players with families are based.

The majority of the Cats’ travelling party is based a few kilometres away at the hotel adjacent to their Southport Sharks training ground.

Hawkins pulled out of a previously arranged press conference on Monday with what the club said was a family commitment.

He was replaced by fellow veteran Harry Taylor and rescheduled to speak to the media on Thursday.

That is now in some doubt but the Cats say there is no chance Hawkins will miss the decider, with the 32-year-old’s training absence on Tuesday viewed purely as a precaution.

Geelong players trained in small groups on Tuesday in what is termed a “craft session”.

Their main training session for the week is on Wednesday night in the lead-up to Saturday night’s grand final at the Gabba.