PREMIERSHIP pair Grant Birchall and Matt Spangher could face Geelong on Easter Monday despite missing Hawthorn’s NAB Challenge campaign through injury.

Birchall injured the medial ligament in his knee in February, while Spangher has been battling a calf injury throughout the pre-season.

Both have returned to full training, however, and despite failing to feature in the three pre-season hit-outs, could face the Cats in the Round 1 blockbuster.

GM – Football Operations Chris Fagan was non-committal on the pair, however, declaring a decision needed to be made given their lack of match conditioning.

“They are actually fit to be selected,” Fagan confirmed to hawthornfc.com.au

“I guess the big decision the match committee need to make is whether we want to take those guys into a game with no game time really, other than the stuff we’ve done at training.”

Fagan did, however, declare goal sneak Luke Breust a certain starter.

Bruest was subbed out of Hawthorn’s 105-point win over St Kilda in the final pre-season hit-out after copping a knock in a marking contest.

“He’ll be fine to play, he’s fit and raring to go,” Fagan said.

“It was just a bruise to the backside from a fairly heavy clash.

“He was almost the day after – we only took him off for precautionary purposes.”

It means the Hawks will have almost a full complement of players to choose from for the opening round clash.

“There’s going to be some unlucky players miss out on the team because they’ve been in good form and are very fit,” Fagan said.

“It’s a good problem to have – but it doesn’t guarantee you the win on Monday.”

Fagan confirmed the season is likely over for young key position prospect Kaiden Brand after he underwent a shoulder reconstruction in March.

Brand dislocated his shoulder in the first term of the NAB Challenge opener against Collingwood and was subbed out immediately.

View the official injury list.