HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson says he doesn’t attach too much significance to early season form. The Hawks follow up their 104-point belting of Melbourne with a trip to the West to take on Fremantle at Subiaco on Saturday.

“I think you get a much better line of form after six or eight weeks,” Clarkson said.

“I couldn’t possibly imagine that Melbourne will play this week like they did last week. Nor would I imagine that Hawthorn will play like they did last week again this week.”

The Hawks welcome back Campbell Brown and Luke Hodge from suspension this week but are still without Shane Crawford and Jordan Lewis, also for disciplinary reasons. Trent Croad will miss up to six weeks with the wrist injury he sustained just four minutes into the team’s clash against the Demons.

“We’d prefer him (Croad) to be in the side than out but having said that it gives an opportunity to other guys to step up… we think we’ve got the personnel to cover Croady but we’d be foolish to think that we’re not a better side with him in.”

Talented forward Mark Williams could return to the side from injury as soon as next week. A late withdrawal due to illness last weekend, he was available for selection this week but sustained a corky at training.

“He was training really well so he’s right on the edge of coming back. With a corky usually it only takes six or seven days to recover. He’ll be in line for selection next week but we’ve just got to work out as a club whether we bring him back through the Box Hill side or whether he comes straight into our side.”

Despite the round one annihilation the Hawks inflicted on the Demons, Clarkson insists he isn’t taking anything for granted this weekend against Fremantle.

“It’s going to be a big ask. Subiaco Oval against Fremantle is always a hard assignment in footy but we’ve come off a really good performance last week so we’ve got a lot of confidence about the way we go about it at the moment. But we know that Fremantle are on the rebound after their loss to Collingwood last week.”