Hawthorn hasn't put a start date on Cyril Rioli's pre-season as the champion forward helps his father convalesce from heart surgery.
Jarryd Roughead led pre-season training at Waverley for the AFL heavyweights on Monday without Rioli present.
The Hawks skipper said Rioli could take all the time he needed before returning.
"I don't think we should put a timeline on it," Roughead said.
"In situations like this footy becomes second.
"We've always been known as a family club and in situations like this you need to be with your family."
Rioli's father, also named Cyril, suffered a heart attack in Grand Final week.
Since then, the 28-year-old has cared for his father in Darwin, shifting south only last week for surgery in Adelaide.
Given the procedure has been cautiously hailed as a success, Roughead said Rioli should now consider time off to refresh.
"We've had holidays but Cyril hasn't had four, five, six weeks off like the rest of us," he said.
"He's been by his dad's side the whole time.
"For him to get away and enjoy a bit of a holiday, it's probably a good thing."
Rioli was joined by Hawthorn's international rules pair Jack Gunston and Shaun Burgoyne as absentees from the first day of pre-season.
The four-time premiership player was kept to just seven senior games this year by a knee injury.
