In-form Drummond out of Hawks clash

REBOUNDING Lions defender Josh Drummond will miss Sunday’s clash with Hawthorn due to a calf strain sustained in the first quarter against Carlton at the Gabba on Saturday night.

Coach Michael Voss says he still has no idea how the injury happened, but that Drummond has been walking around freely and the damage is relatively minor.

It's a major blow to a backline already missing Daniel Merrett and Joel Patfull, especially considering Drummond has been in career-best form.

“If we were to make any submission to the All-Australian team he would be in it because he has had such a fantastic first half of the season and whenever you listen to opposition teams speak now they always bring up his name,” Voss said on Monday.

He compared Drummond to Hawthorn premiership defender Luke Hodge, who has also come under close scrutiny from opposition teams.

“Drummo has been a little bit the same where he just has that lethal left foot and sets up play like Luke Hodge does,” Voss said.

The Lions face a tough battle against the Hawks in Launceston on Sunday, and Voss said they can’t afford to keep starting off games slowly.

“The fighting quality that this team has is a really admirable trait, it’s almost like were waiting for that challenge before we start to say; 'let's go for it',” he said.

“I think as a group we do [need a bit of mongrel], just being able to be relentless. When we’re willing to be able to be aggressive and initiate contact then we’re a very competitive football team.”

Voss said there won’t be wholesale changes after the six-point loss to Carlton, and Jason Roe and Aaron Cornelius are in the running for a recall to replace Drummond.

The first-year coach also issued a reminder to all players that no one’s place is ever set in stone.

“The absence of urgency creates complacency and if we don’t have that urgency, if we don’t live on that edge, then we can potentially fall in the category of complacent,” Voss said.

Merrett (ankle) and Patfull (jaw) won’t be risked against Hawthorn, particularly with the bye the following weekend.

But Voss has vowed to play Daniel Bradshaw up forward as much as possible, blaming poor defensive structures for Brendan Fevola’s eight goals on Saturday night, rather than switching Bradshaw to full forward at half time.

“We’d like to think that we can get Braddy up the other end kicking goals for us,” Voss said.

“For us to be able to kick a winning score, we just looked a lot better when Braddy was down there.”