HAWTHORN won't risk captain Luke Hodge against Fremantle on Friday night, but Sam Mitchell should come back in for the reigning premiers.

Hodge had been trying to prove his fitness for the Grand Final rematch after injuring his groin in the third quarter against Essendon last week.

Mitchell has seemingly recovered from a calf strain which kept him out of the Bombers clash and only needed to get through training unscathed on Thursday morning to play.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said veteran Brad Sewell and key defenders Ben Stratton and Ryan Schoenmakers would come back from injury through the VFL.