Ben Stratton’s AFL pre-season has suffered another setback, with the Hawthorn premiership defender sidelined during their big win over Melbourne.

Saturday’s 110-point win was his first AFL hitout but he had to leave the field in the third term.

Stratton has had hamstring and calf soreness and played a half in the VFL last weekend.

His interrupted pre-season puts him in doubt for their round-one game later this month against Brisbane.

“It was just a little bit of soreness, so … I guess the doctors will have more of an assessment,” said assistant coach Cameron Bruce.

“What I know from doing hamstrings, sometimes the soreness might be a two-day thing, it might be a week.

“We don’t know until we dive a little deeper.”

While the Hawks could not be better placed for the start of their premiership defence, midfielder Jordan Lewis could also come under match review panel scrutiny.

He had a heavy collision with Nathan Jones at a centre bounce, briefly forcing the new Demons co-captain from the field.

But overall this is a far cry from the start of the 2009 season, the last time the Hawks were the defending premiers.

Then they were struggling with a long injury list and would finish the year outside the top eight.

Saturday’s belting follows their 131-point win over Brisbane and a 65-point success against North Melbourne.

“Certainly the three games, it’s been a great result from a scoreboard point of view, but (also) the processes the boys are going through and the style we’re playing,” Bruce said.

“It’s been very encouraging and we’ve set ourselves up to start the season well.”

Key defender Josh Gibson, who has kicked two goals in his AFL career, went into attack for the last term and kicked two goals in two minutes.

Gibson is having a party on Saturday night for his 30th birthday.

“No doubt that (his two goals) might be a topic of discussion at the event,” Bruce said.