HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson is confident his star forward Lance Franklin has overcome a rolled ankle and will be fit to face the Brisbane Lions on Saturday.

The two-time All Australian limped from the field during the final quarter against Collingwood last Sunday, sparking fears he may miss the Lions clash.

But Franklin joined his teammates on their flight to Launceston on Friday morning and Clarkson said he expected the 24-year-old to take the field.

"Everything he's done throughout the course of the week has suggested he's going to play tomorrow," Clarkson told media at Melbourne airport.

"When it first happened and he hobbled off the ground we thought he might be in doubt for this week, but by the next morning he'd recovered really well, there was no swelling.

"He was able to run pain-free yesterday and twist and turn and do everything that we needed him to do, so we'd expect that he's going to be able to play tomorrow and cope quite well with what was a very minor ailment."

Clarkson said Franklin's presence would be crucial in a forward line already missing other dangerous options Cyril Rioli and Jarryd Roughead against a Lions team he expected to present a strong challenge to the fourth-placed Hawks.

"It's going to be a hard game against Brisbane," the 2008 premiership coach said.

"They played really well last week (in defeating Port Adelaide) and their form line over the last four or five weeks has been pretty good.

"So we're going to have to play well, and we want our better players out on the field."

The Hawks have selected 20-year-old Riley Milne for his third senior game and first since 2009, and Clarkson hoped he'd add to the list of young Hawthorn players who have become important contributors this season.

"He'll probably play through the midfield and a little bit down back; he's a pretty flexible player," Clarkson said.

"He's looking forward to the opportunity.

"Like so many of the other young blokes that have come into our side, we expect him to come in and play a role."

With the loss of Jordan Lisle to a fractured cheekbone from its already injury-devastated backline, Clarkson's team is left with Josh Gibson as its only recognised key defender.

The Hawks coach said the contest between Gibson and Lions skipper Jonathan Brown would play a large factor in deciding the outcome of the match.

"He (Brown) is still such a formidable and potent weapon for them up forward," Clarkson said.

"Josh has been our best defender throughout the course of this year and he's one of the few tall ones we've got left, so I dare say he'll play on Brown for the bulk of the day, but he's going to need some support, whether it's ruckmen dropping back or whatever.

"They probably need Brown to have a fair influence on the game to win, and we're going to be relying on Josh and others to try and limit the impact that he'll have."

But Clarkson said it would also be vital for Hawthorn's midfield, led by in-form former captain Sam Mitchell, to get on top and limit Brown's supply.

"(Brisbane's Matthew) Leuenberger is a very, very good tap ruckman; I think he's in the top two or three in the competition in terms of hit-outs, and that's always dangerous when you've got a guy like (Simon) Black underneath him," Clarkson said.

"But you've also got guys like (Jack) Redden, (Tom) Rockliff and (James) Polkinghorne, some emerging players that are a little bit unheralded.

"They're getting more and more experience and exposure to the level, and we're seeing a greater consistency of performance from some of those lads.

"So we're expecting a really tough battle, but if we win the midfield it'll give us a much greater chance of winning the game."

Mark Macgugan writes for hawthornfc.com.au and covers Hawthorn news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mmacgugan