SAM MITCHELL and Jack Gunston could miss Hawthorn's game against bottom-placed Essendon on Friday night, with the Hawks stars struggling to come up after a six-day break.
But Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson told reporters on Thursday the club would not rest players against the undermanned Bombers, saying anyone who was fit to play would play.
Gunston copped a knock to the ankle against Melbourne on Saturday but trained on Tuesday and was again on the track when the Hawks began their Thursday session at Waverley Park.
Mitchell, however, was rested from Thursday training with soreness.
Match preview: Essendon v Hawthorn
Clarkson said both players would have to prove their fitness before taking on the Bombers.
"'Mitch' has been a bit sore this week so he won't train today and we'll make a decision this afternoon on whether he plays or not and the same with Jack," Clarkson said.
"That happens at this time of the year with six-day breaks, so we'll just see how that unfolds over the course of the day."
Clarkson was not concerned his players would be complacent entering Friday night's game even though Essendon has won just one game for the season, against Melbourne in round two, and is coming off a 79-point thrashing from Fremantle in Perth.
The four-time premiership coach said Hawthorn would field its strongest available team and prepare for Essendon at its best.
"We're not wrapping anyone in cotton wool, if they're fit to play they're playing," Clarkson said.
"We've got to prepare for Essendon's best. They've been a bit up-and-down and inconsistent as you'd expect with a younger side, but whenever we come up against an opposition we always prepare for their best footy and some of their footy in patches throughout the course of the year has been really, really good.
"We've got a lot of players trying to establish themselves in the side. We've got other guys who are either just coming back from injury or whatever that are trying to get their seasons up and going.
"We've got some things internally that we need to concern ourselves with rather than anything to do with the opposition and the stage of the season."
Hawks skipper Luke Hodge returned to ball work this week as he continues his recovery from the knee injury he suffered in the round six loss to the Greater Western Sydney.
Clarkson said Hodge was some chance of returning for Hawthorn's clash against leader-leader North Melbourne next Friday night, but more likely to resume against Gold Coast the following week or even after the Hawks' round 15 bye.
"He's been training particularly well. He's into ball work this week and we've gone on record as saying he needs to do a really good block of training," Clarkson said.
"He's been unfortunately riddled with two injuries this year that have just made it difficult for him to get the continuity that he would like and the training out on the track that he would like.
"We'll just make sure he gets a good block of training in, and it's more likely to be the Gold Coast game or even after the bye."
