STAR Hawks defender James Sicily joined his teammates for a light training session on a waterlogged Waverley Park on Friday morning ahead of his expected return from injury.

Sicily last played in Hawthorn's round 17 loss to Brisbane – the game that jolted the Hawks into action – but is due back from his broken right wrist for Thursday night's qualifying final against Richmond. 

Captain Jarryd Roughead revealed at the start of the week that a heart-to-heart chat between the players after that Lions defeat was the impetus for the Hawks' charge into the top four.

Sicily, 23, had a bandage on his injured right hand and used his left for handball drills, but had no problem completing marking and kicking drills. 

All Australian Grant Birchall, who is yet to play at any level this year and made only five senior appearances in 2017 because of a persistent knee problem, was not on the track.

Neither Sicily nor Birchall will play in Box Hill's VFL elimination final against Port Melbourne on Saturday, but Dan Howe will log limited minutes for the Hawks' state league affiliate.

Howe missed the last five rounds of the season because of two separate suspensions, but has an important tagging role to play on one of the Tigers' gun midfielders on Thursday night. 

Hawthorn continues to weigh up the possibility of playing two ruckmen against Richmond, with both No.1 big man Ben McEvoy and Jon Ceglar training.

A minor calf complaint sidelined Ceglar for a fortnight, but he could join McEvoy in a quality one-two punch against Tiger Toby Nankervis. 

The Hawks are scheduled to complete a more strenuous hit-out on Saturday.