Hawthorn look unlikely to risk Lance Franklin in their AFL clash with Greater Western Sydney this weekend as they ease him back into training midweek.

Franklin tweaked his hamstring late in their big win over Carlton last Friday night.

While the Hawks are not ruling out Franklin playing against the Giants at the MCG on Sunday, his truncated week of training would suggest they will err on the side of caution with their superstar.

“He’s certainly a chance to play, but I don’t think we’ll get him to do too much today and tomorrow, and wait and see how he is maybe Wednesday or Thursday,” Hawks football manager Mark Evans told Melbourne radio station SEN on Monday.

“He jogged off after that (the injury) and it’s always a good sign when you jog off.

“The scan doesn’t show a lot of bleeding or damage at all to be honest, so the tightness that he felt is just that.

“It probably means we take a pretty conservative approach at the start of the week and see where he’s at by the end.”

But Hawks skipper Luke Hodge will resume playing in a fortnight – and perhaps as soon as this week – after a long layoff with a persistent knee problem.

“Luke Hodge was cleared to play two weeks ago – it was more a matter of what conditioning we gave him before he comes back,” Evans said.

“The guys will make that call again this week. If it’s wasn’t this week, it will certainly be next.”

Hodge could make his return through the Hawks’ reserves in the VFL, or find himself rushed straight in to play the Giants as he builds his match fitness ahead of the Hawks’ tilt at the AFL finals.