Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said Barker, who has battled numerous injuries in recent seasons and who is coming off a shoulder and hamstring problem, is likely to play his first match of 2006 next weekend.
"He'll possibly play next week. He's just had a reasonably slow rehab, but we want to make sure that when he's right to play that he gets some sustained footy and it's very important for him," Clarkson said at Waverley Park on Thursday.
"So hopefully when he does come back, which will be with no hiccups next week … he'll get a period of footy where he can seriously challenge.
"If he comes back into our side, then it gives us the flexibility to maybe play Croad back again, which is probably his preferred position, but we need just a big strong body up forward for us at the present time and to our delight, he's done very well up forward, Croady.
"But at least it gives us that flexibility if Johnny Barker was to return to the side."
