HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson has admitted concern that star forward Lance Franklin has been reported again.

Franklin was reported for rough conduct when he collected Swan Martin Mattner high, late in the game on Sunday.

It was the third time in Franklin’s last eight matches that he has been booked after he was suspended for high hits on Richmond’s Ben Cousins late last year and Bulldog Jason Akermanis in round three this season.

Clarkson tread warily when questioned about Franklin’s frequent bumping problems but said his 196cm frame made him more susceptible to head high contact than most.

“It is a concern that one of our best players is going to run the risk of being out. It is a brutal game and it is played at a breakneck speed,” Clarkson said.

“I haven’t seen a replay so I can’t comment on the incident itself, albeit that there is very little time to make decisions. I’m not sure what the outcome will be, we’ll have to wait and see throughout the course of the week, but it’s pretty tough when he’s six foot six.”

The Hawthorn coach said he actively discouraged his players from laying bumps on the opposition for fear of being reported.

“We try to tell all our players not to worry about the bump anymore because it is just not worth the risk,” Clarkson said after the game.

“There are some instances when you are running after the footy and chasing a player and what turns out to be something that you think you are going to lay a tackle, when he comes back at you, you haven’t got time to tackle. When the head is down what do you do? We’ll wait and see how it turns out.”

Franklin’s report wasn’t the only concern to come from the game as Campbell Brown hobbled from the field in the third term with a knee injury.

The early diagnosis is that Brown has hurt his posterior cruciate ligament and may spend some time on the sidelines.

“He hurt his knee and was unable to come back on the ground," Clarkson said. "They are thinking it might be a slight PCL injury.

"I’m not sure about the severity of that, we’ll get that graded over the course of the next couple of days and I think he would be unlikely to play next week depending on the grading.

“I don’t think it is a significant injury but I think he’s going to miss some games.”