HAWTHORN midfielder Will Day is locked in for a return in the VFL this Friday night after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction, but Jack Gunston is in doubt for the trip to Launceston to face Adelaide. 

Day hasn't played since sustaining another long-term foot injury in round 21 last year and only managed six appearances across 2025 due to two separate bone stress issues in the same spot.

The 24-year-old fully recovered from his third foot issue in 18 months only to dislocate his shoulder during a pre-season training session at the Kennedy Community Centre in January. 

Gunston didn't train on Tuesday after missing the loss to Narrm due to a mid-foot sprain and might run out of time to prove his fitness ahead of the clash at University of Tasmania Stadium.

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said Day is set for managed minutes for Box Hill against Williamstown at Point Gellibrand and then the Hawks will consider recalling him against St Kilda in round 12 or providing him with more time in the reserves.

"It is pretty exciting for Will and for all of us," Mitchell told reporters on Tuesday in Dingley.

"He's obviously a very high profile sort of player to be getting back and playing some VFL time and he'll be carefully managed of course. I think he will start on the bench in every quarter and do all those types of things. We're looking forward to getting him back, but he certainly won't be ready for AFL footy at this stage.

"We'll see how it goes this week. See how his movement is, see how his confidence is. When he gets back, we want him to stay back. That's the aim. So that could be as early as next week or it could be a bit longer than that."

Conor Nash is yet to clear concussion protocols but trained on Tuesday and is on track to be available against the Crows. 

Mabior Chol also trained fully and is expected to return from a hamstring strain after missing the past five games.

Gunston completed some running at the club on Monday morning and will be tested at the captain's run on Wednesday before the team travels to Launceston.

"Mabior is more likely, Jack is still 50-50 I'd say," Mitchell said.

Mitchell expressed his disappointment with the decision for the AFL to end Hawthorn's 25-year relationship with the state of Tasmania ahead of the Devils' entry in 2028.

Hawthorn has hosted games in Launceston since 2001 and turned York Park into a fortress, winning 75.8 per cent at the venue across 87 games.

"I'm obviously disappointed. I've been going there since the early 2000s. You know the people at the coffee shop, in the hotels, and go on the same sort of walks and you're around the same people all the time. It feels like we're sort of being kicked out of a home," Mitchell said.

"I understand it, I guess, from the AFL's perspective, but for the Launceston people in particular, I mean, it's easy to group all of Tassie together, but really, we've spent the vast majority of our time in Launceston and we love our time there. Obviously disappointed that we won't get the opportunity to continue to be part of that community."

The Hawks have won their past 11 games at UTAS Stadium - the last loss there was to the Crows in 2023.