HAWTHORN assistant coach Todd Viney has said that defender Trent Croad is a likely starter for Saturday night's preliminary final against St Kilda.

Croad suffered a foot injury during the Hawks' qualifying final victory over the Bulldogs two weekends ago, but Viney was confident that the extra week's break would work in the burly backman's favour.

"Last week would have been touch and go, but I think there will be no dramas this week," Viney said from Waverley on Monday.

Viney also confirmed that Campbell Brown will retain his place in the team despite dislocating his thumb in week one of the finals.

"'Browny' hurt his thumb but that's fine, he'll play with that."

Viney indicated that the club’s other injury concerns, including Rick Ladson (shoulder), Grant Birchall (hip), Cameron Stokes (hamstring) and Stephen Gilham (late withdrawal with a virus for the Bulldogs game), would be available.

“Fingers crossed, if we get though this week’s training, we’ll have a pretty full list. (It is) a great position to be in, of course, but tough at selection because someone’s going to have to miss out.”

While Viney was bullish about Croad's availability this weekend, he was less eager to confirm whether the 28-year-old would match up on Saints’ forward Nick Riewoldt, who kicked five goals against Collingwood last weekend and booted six against the Hawks when the two teams last met in round 16.

“Riewoldt was really good (against the Pies) … he came in for a little bit of criticism (after St Kilda's qualifying final loss to Geelong), and I thought he responded really well," Viney said.

"He’d (Croad) be a (possible) match up. Riewoldt was fantastic earlier in the year when he played us; he kicked six. He becomes a focus of the whole team. Defence is not just Trent Croad on Riewoldt; it’s the whole team.”

Finding the right match-ups for the Saints’ two tall attackers in Riewoldt and Justin Koschitzke won’t be the only talking points at match committee for Hawthorn, with the coaching staff also having to decide whether to recall ruckman Simon Taylor, who was omitted for Hawthorn's win over the Western Bulldogs in week one of the finals in favour of Brent Renouf.

"Brent’s done a good job for us since he’s come back in," Viney said.

"He’s been slightly different. He moves around the ground pretty well, and gives us good contests. But he’s probably not as strong as Simon Taylor in the body, so that will be one of the decisions we’ll have to make. Simon Taylor’s ready to come back in, so again, it’s a good position for us to be in.”

Viney said the Hawks would not be discussing previous results against the Saints, and that their last meeting, when the Hawks lost by 30 points, would not be a focus.

“Finals are a new ball game. Both St Kilda and us are playing better footy at this time of year," Viney said.