HAWTHORN has suffered a major blow ahead of its clash with Fremantle at the MCG on Sunday with star forward Lance Franklin ruled out with a calf injury.

Franklin has been replaced in the Hawks team by youngster Jordan Lisle, who will make his debut.

"He finished the game last week and didn't even report an injury to the medical staff," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson told a press-conference at Waverley Park on Saturday morning.

"It just got a little bit sore on the Tuesday and we had it scanned. It showed a little bit of a bleed.

"We still don't know whether that slight bleed was due to a strain or a corky.

"We'll have to wait and see how it settles over the course of the next week, but we don't think it's serious."

Despite the concerns over Franklin's fitness being raised earlier in the week, Clarkson defended Hawthorn's decision to name him in their side on Thursday night.

"We thought he was going to be right and we tried to train him yesterday, but just wasn't any good, the way he's pulled up this morning.

"He was very, very close to being able to play, but with calves, if you don't respect them, they can turn into four or five week injuries."