Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge heads a quartet of premiership players aiming to prove their fitness for Friday night’s AFL grand final rematch against Fremantle.
Hodge hurt his groin in the third quarter of Friday night’s nailbiting win over Essendon and was subbed out of the game.
Fellow star utility Sam Mitchell was a late withdrawal from the match with a calf muscle injury.
Midfielder Brad Sewell and defender Ben Stratton are returning from hamstring injuries.
Hodge is hopeful he will play on Friday night at the MCG, while team-mate Jordan Lewis said on Monday that Mitchell, Sewell and Stratton will undergo fitness tests.
Hodge struggled with injury two seasons ago, but was back to top form last year as he led the Hawks to the premiership.
“I guess it comes down to how it is throughout training,” Hodge told Nova FM.
“It’s round three so we won’t be taking any risks.
“We are not going to make a call until later in the week.”
Hodge added he had pulled up better than he expected from the injury.
“I was still able to run 30-40m in a straight line … but it was the agility, sideways turning action (where) I could feel it a bit more,” he said.
“It was a good thing, the fact I was still able to run straight, so it can’t be too bad.
“As far as the last two days it has been a bit tender but better than I thought it would be.”