HAWTHORN could be close to full strength for Friday night's big MCG clash with Adelaide, with Josh Gibson, Ryan Schoenmakers and Bradley Hill all rated as good chances to return.

Gibson (hamstring soreness) and Schoenmakers (groin soreness) didn't play against St Kilda last Saturday and both face fitness tests on Thursday.

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"We'll need to make sure they get through training later in the week. It's a big game and we don't want to take any risks," Hawthorn football manager Chris Fagan told the club's website. 

But the bonus could be the return of the speedy Hill, who took part in full training on Tuesday. He hasn't played so far this season since fracturing his wrist during an intraclub match the week before round one.

"He's sick of doing all the running he's been doing," Fagan said. "We'll test him later in the week and he's some chance of playing, but again, the no-risk policy will apply." 

Should the premiership trio all return on Friday night, only Jarryd Roughead, on the mend from his PCL injury, would be missing from Hawthorn's strongest line-up.

In a further boost to Hawthorn's depth, 2014 premiership swingman and cult hero Matt Spangher should play his first VFL game for the year after recovering from a calf strain. 

The Hawks' top draft selection in 2015, forward Ryan Burton, is expected to miss 12 weeks after surgery to remove screws and plates from the broken leg he suffered in 2014.