HAWTHORN key forward Mitch Lewis is a chance to return against Richmond this Sunday, after the club decided against putting him on ice for the rest of the season. 

The 23-year-old didn’t play in the seven-point win over Gold Coast in Launceston on Saturday after jarring his knee against St Kilda in round 20. 

Lewis will need to prove his fitness at Waverley Park later in the week and is no guarantee to play, but if he doesn’t recover in time to face the Tigers, there is a hope he will feature against the Western Bulldogs in round 23.

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The Victorian doesn’t require surgery with the Hawks confident rest will help resolve the problem that forced him to be substituted out of the loss against the Saints.

Lewis, who signed a four-year contract extension in June, has kicked 37 goals from 15 games to emerge as one of the best young key forwards in the AFL this year.  

He kicked 31 goals across his first 10 appearances this season, before slotting five first-half goals against Adelaide in round 17. 

Hawthorn sent Ned Reeves in for a shoulder reconstruction last week after the ruckman dislocated the joint against Geelong on Easter Monday and battled through the middle part of the season after missing six games. 

The Hawks are still waiting to see if Josh Morris can play again before ruling him out for the rest of the season, after the out-of-contract defender dislocated his shoulder against St Kilda.

Hawthorn will regain young star Changkuoth Jiath for the fixture against Richmond at the MCG after he missed the trip to Tasmania due to suspension. 

Sam Mitchell’s side improved to 8-12 after a fourth win in the past five weeks, drawing level on premiership points with Port Adelaide and only a game behind Gold Coast, who have been in the finals race until the past few weeks.