HAWTHORN midfielder Alex Woodward has made an uplifting return to football after his third right knee reconstruction, successfully getting through his scheduled half of football on Sunday.

Nearly 12 months after he went down clutching his knee against Werribee last season, the 23-year-old made a low-key return for Box Hill's development team against the Northern Blues, and dominated from the outset.

Woodward had 13 touches in the opening term and collected another five before being taken out of the game at half-time.

He also finished with three tackles, two clearances and a couple of inside 50s in Box Hill's 37-point win.

Depending on how Woodward pulls up, Hawthorn will decide whether to promote the talented midfielder - who played two senior games back in 2014 - to the VFL seniors this week.

Woodward, who was drafted with pick 53 in 2011, was delisted at the end of last year but the Hawks stuck with him, re-drafting him as a rookie as he underwent his third bout of rehab.