HAWTHORN could be without gun ruckman Ben McEvoy and pressure forward Paul Puopolo for its important clash against Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon, with their partners due to give birth soon.

Big man Marc Pittonet and Teia Miles are travelling to Tasmania in case they are required.

Puopolo didn't fly with the rest of the team, including McEvoy, on Friday, but had a flight booked for Saturday morning.

"Ben McEvoy's wife's about to go into labour," Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson told reporters at Melbourne airport on Friday.

"He's (Pittonet) travelling for us just in case that labour occurs over the next 24 hours. Then, Ben probably won't play. We'll just wait and see how that unfolds."

Hawthorn are 7-5 but sit ninth on the ladder, while the Suns haven't won since round five, when they beat Brisbane by five points.

It's a fixture that gave the Hawks trouble last year, having lost to the Suns on both occasions, the first time by 86 points.

Clarkson knows what needs to happen to rectify those results.

"Win the midfield supply is where they've smashed us in the last couple of games," Clarkson said.

"(Jarrod) Witts has been really, really strong for them in the ruck. (David) Swallow's back to playing some of his best footy now that he's over some of his injury concerns. (Touk) Miller's played some good footy for them, (Jarryd) Lyons is back in their side and he's an accumulator of the ball."

James Frawley has replaced Kaiden Brand in the line-up, and looks likely to man Gold Coast star Tom Lynch.

At the other end of the ground, Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead has booted just five goals in his past five games.

Clarkson drew a comparison between the forward's form and the side's efficiency going into attack.

"He's a little bit reflective of our opportunities going inside 50. He's been a little bit like that too. We're getting the chances but just not making the most of every one that we get. It's tough in this game to do that," Clarkson said.

"He represents a little bit of blue sky for us too because it's unlikely that that's going to continue to be that way for him, and at some point in time, he's going to have a day where it all clicks for him."

Kieran Lovell continues to toil away in the VFL, not having played in the senior side for more than two years.

"Our midfield's been playing pretty strongly over the last little while, so it's a tough midfield to get into," Clarkson said.

"He's been playing some good footy at Box Hill. He's had a couple of little niggles that kept him out here and there, but his form over the last month has been pretty good."