HAWTHORN will throw a lifeline to an experienced ruckman with one of its late picks in Thursday's NAB AFL Draft.

The Hawks are believed to be considering Chris Bryan (Collingwood), Cameron Cloke (Carlton), John Meesen (Melbourne), Adam Pattison (Richmond) or Wayde Skipper (Western Bulldogs) as they seek to replenish their stocks following the forced retirement of Robbie Campbell and Max Bailey's third major knee injury.

Premiership big man Brent Renouf, Simon Taylor and long-term prospect Luke Lowden are the Hawks' only other ruckmen.

And Pattison and Cloke seem their preferred options.

Selected at No.16 in the 2004 NAB AFL Draft, Pattison played 61 matches for the Tigers from 2005 to 2009 and is still only 23.

Cloke has also been linked with Port Adelaide, but with its three draft picks in the top 16 that club would be more likely to offer the former Blue a mature-age rookie contract.

The Hawks are also expected to take a young ruckman with one of their later picks, but would pounce on South Australian James Craig should he slip through to their first selection at No.39.

Hawthorn has six selections in the draft (39, 46, 57, 58, 69 and 70) with 70 to be used to upgrade Matthew Suckling to the senior list.

Log on to afl.com.au on D-day, Thursday, November 26, for the most comprehensive coverage of the 2009 NAB AFL Draft. We’ll have live chats, live audio streams, in-depth player profiles, club reaction and our famous afl.com.au Draft Tracker.