HAWTHORN will make at least two changes ahead of Saturday night's clash against Fremantle at Optus Stadium, leaving veteran Luke Breust and emerging star Changkuoth Jiath behind to help the pair overcome niggles that have hampered them early in 2023. 

Breust has played the first seven games and kicked 11 goals, including three sets of three, but the 32-year-old – the oldest player at Waverley Park – has been taking most of each week to recover between games and will need to be managed at times this season.

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Jiath, 23, has also played every game to start the year but has been limited in his training during the week and needs a freshen-up ahead of the winter months. 

The Hawks have one of the shortest injury lists in the AFL with every first-choice player available for selection this weekend and more than a handful of players at Box Hill fighting for a spot in the 22. 

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said the club identified this period of the fixture as an area where they would need to manage workloads, but expects Breust and Jiath to come straight back in against Melbourne next Saturday. 

"We knew this would be a tricky time of year. We had a six-day break on to Marvel, which is a different surface, then into a Perth travel. We knew we would have to manage a couple of players," Mitchell said on Thursday.

"Luke Breust and CJ have just been getting up for every game, so they will both be managed this week. Hopefully get their bodies back on top of it. 

"That gives us a bit more flexibility with selection. With such a short injury list at the moment, touch wood, it makes the players that we pick know that there are good players underneath them in every position on the ground."

Mitchell will have some tough decisions to make on Thursday afternoon, particularly when it comes to the second ruck spot after sending recruit Lloyd Meek to Box Hill over the past fortnight. 

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Meek responded by amassing 46 hitouts, 22 disposals and six clearances against Casey on Sunday, but Ned Reeves collected coaches votes after a brilliant performance against All-Australian contender Tim English at Marvel Stadium, while Max Ramsden made his debut against the Western Bulldogs and would be unlucky to be axed after just one senior appearance. 

"Certainly, we'd love to play him [Meek] against his old side. He's obviously spent a lot of time in Perth. He played well (in the VFL). We have to get the team balance right," Mitchell said. 

"We came into the season quite open-minded. Obviously [Max] Lynch has had a setback with concussion. Lloyd and Ned both started the season reasonably well. Meeky went back to Box Hill and did what we hoped he would do and that's play AFL standard footy in the VFL. 

"Rama played his first game, which came a bit earlier than most of us thought because of his good form there. 

"Ned last year had some good games and some good moments, but he wasn't able to sustain it for long enough. That's been the pleasing for him. He's been able to put together four-quarter performances. He is far from a finished product. 

"We've got plenty to work with the rucks, but they are not a reliable strength just yet. We hope that's what they are building towards."

Lynch completed a very light running session at Waverley Park ahead of training before heading inside, with the club still working through his recovery plan following his most recent concussion in round six.

The future of the 24-year-old remains up in the air after he suffered the ninth concussion of his career last month. 

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Connor Macdonald couldn't have done much more to earn an instant recall after amassing 37 disposals and eight clearances for Box Hill, while No.7 pick Cam Mackenzie also fired with 30 touches and five clearances and Sam Butler finished with 22 touches and a goal. 

Mitchell was thrilled with the return of Mitch Lewis last weekend after he hauled in 11 marks and 16 disposals, but his finishing was wasteful at 1.4, reflective of the club at times across the past three weeks where it has dropped games against Greater Western Sydney and Adelaide by single digits and led the Dogs at half-time.

"We know we are making progress and we're doing some things really well, but by the same token we are still 1-6," he said.

"We have thrown away so many opportunities, we've left so many goals out there, so having a look at some opportunities missed and looking at the areas that are going well, areas where we are restricting the opposition. 

"When you have one loss in a game that you could have won you can handle that, but when it happens two or three times in a row, the competitive instinct of wanting to win comes much more prevalent and much more front of mind. Sometimes trying to win even more doesn't actually help you win, so trying to make sure we're playing in the right way will help us get a win."