RUCKMAN Ben McEvoy is the first of a series of key Hawks set to return in the coming weeks to strengthen the club's latest premiership assault.

McEvoy will play his first game since round 15 against St Kilda on Saturday night, after recovering from a fractured cheekbone.

Captain Jarryd Roughead (ankle), defender James Sicily (wrist), run-with midfielder Daniel Howe (suspension) and All Australian Grant Birchall (knee) remain on the sidelines.

The plan is for Roughead to play in Round 23, while Sicily and Howe won't be available until finals. Birchall looks likely to play some level of footy next week, whether that be at AFL or VFL level.

Jon Ceglar also sustained a minor calf injury at training on Thursday, while Ricky Henderson has relented to an ongoing hip issue.

Both could be back within a week or, worst-case scenario, should be available for the first week of finals, according to coach Alastair Clarkson.

"(McEvoy) had a pretty serious facial injury, in terms of that clash in the Western Bulldogs game about six weeks ago, and had plates inserted into an eye socket on his cheek," Clarkson said.

"There are some cheekbones you can come back in one or two weeks, which is fortunate for some, but that wasn't Ben's case – his was a pretty serious knock.

"He's taken the full six weeks to recover from that, which is the normal time for a skeletal injury to recover and we're rapt.

"It's right at the pointy end of the season and he's played some terrific footy for us the last four or five years he's been at the club, and he's a welcome return to our side."

Henderson's absence opened the door for Irishman Conor Glass to return, and he will play alongside countryman Conor Nash – who made his AFL debut last week – at AFL level for the first time.

"They're great mates and they both live with this family, the Kings, in Hawthorn and they're like a mum and dad to them and like an extended family," the coach said.

"Nashy's mum and dad were over for the last month and that culminated in him playing his first game, so that was a really exciting time for him, his family and for our football club.

"But to now have both boys playing in the one side is pretty exciting, too, given they're such good mates and from the same country."