ALASTAIR Clarkson has confirmed that Sam Mitchell will return to the Hawthorn side to face North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium tomorrow night, but did not say whether Jonathon Ceglar and Taylor Duryea would also return.

Speaking to the media at Waverley Park this morning, Clarkson said Mitchell was all but certain to play after missing last week’s game against Essendon.

“Sam will come back into the side this week,” Clarkson said.

The four-time premiership coach added inspirational captain Luke Hodge would not return against the Kangaroos, with the club taking a conservative approach to his rehabilitation from knee surgery to ensure he is fit to play the second half of the season.

“(Hodge) is getting close to playing. I had a conversation with him earlier in the week about whether he wanted to play this week, so he’s getting pretty close,” Clarkson said.

“We wanted him to do a good block of training to get himself cherry ripe to play some really good footy in the second half of the year for us.”

While Hodge remains unavailable, Clarkson said the Hawks still had some decisions to make at the selection table.

He said the Hawks’ side could depend on how the Kangaroos line up.

“We want to pick a strong side to play North Melbourne,” he said.

“The Kangaroos are on of the ladder for a reason, they’ve been really good throughout the course of the year and we’ve got to try and determine out of what goes on today at the Kangaroos with the selection of their side how we might structure up.”