HAWTHORN’S injury curse from 2009 might not be gone just yet with Alastair Clarkson’s team suffering two fresh blows less than three weeks before the start of the home and away season.

Ruckman Simon Taylor will be sidelined for four months with a broken leg while star midfielder Brad Sewell will also miss the start of the season after scans confirmed the Hawks’ crucial clearance player has a broken collar bone.

The pair received the injuries in their side’s practice match loss to North Melbourne at North Ballarat Oval on Saturday.

The fresh injuries come on top of recent concerns over star recruit Shaun Burgoyne (hamstring) and Cyril Rioli (groin), who both remain in some doubt for round one.

And while Sewell’s absence in the early rounds of the season is a crushing blow, it is Taylor’s prolonged stint on the sidelines that will be hardest felt.

Hawthorn's general manager of football operations Mark Evans said Taylor wouldn’t return until well into the second half of the season.

“Simon underwent surgery this morning to have a plate inserted to repair a fractured fibula,” Evans said on Sunday.

“Doctors have advised it will be two months until Simon can resume activity and it will be around four months until he will be available to play again.”

Taylor’s injury means Hawthorn’s already skinny ruck department has been further depleted. The Hawks, light-on for big men, can not afford to lose any more of their tall timber.

Taylor’s injury compounds the loss of emerging big man Max Bailey, who was already set to miss most of the year as he recovers from another serious knee injury.

Brent Renouf will now be left to do the bulk of the rucking duties, while he may be supported by youngster Jordan Lisle.

Rookie Wayde Skipper appears almost certain to be elevated to the senior list in coming weeks as back-up recruit Luke Lowden continues his development.

Scans revealed Sewell, who was taken to a Ballarat hospital for scans to his shoulder at half time in Saturday’s match, also sustained a break although his injury isn’t as severe.

“He will have further assessment with a specialist later this week, and we will know more then, but he will miss the first few weeks of the season,” Evans said.

The Hawks begin their home-and-away campaign against Melbourne on March 27 before a tough three-week block against 2009 preliminary finalists Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood.