ALASTAIR Clarkson isn't concerned about Hawthorn's backline that will face ladder leaders Port Adelaide without Josh Gibson and Brian Lake on Saturday night.

As the Hawks prepared to fly to Adelaide on Friday afternoon, Clarkson said he didn't consider their defence to be depleted despite the key outs.

"You think we're undermanned – I don't necessarily think we are," Clarkson said.

"We've got a couple of guys out but we've had to cope with that before and we'll do so again.

"They're a talented forward line and a talented side across the board so we'll see how we go."

Gibson joined Lake (calf) on the injury list this week after surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.

Clarkson said it was the Power's belief in their system – along with the players' confidence in each other – that had them leading the competition.

He also said they had benefited from a full list to select from, which is something the Hawks haven't been blessed with recently. 

"They've been playing some really good footy and it's no real surprise, they played some great footy last year as well," he said.

"They're trying to make Adelaide Oval a real fortress, or 'Portress' for them, and to their credit they've played some great footy.

"They've got a lot of belief in the way they're going about it, their supporters and club have got a lot of belief in the direction they're going, and the move to Adelaide Oval has helped them enormously; they've got great crowd support.

"Things are really tracking well for them. We've got a huge task on Saturday night."

The Hawks will be without Jarryd Roughead (suspension) and Cyril Rioli (hamstring), which adds to the absence of Sam Mitchell.

But they have welcomed back Luke Hodge, Liam Shiels and Brad Sewell.

Clarkson was coy about how much game time Sewell would play, indicating there is a chance the veteran could start his first AFL game for the year in the green vest.

"He's done a mini pre-season over the last four or five weeks and he's not going to bring anything different to what he's brought over the last 10 or 12 years," he said.

"If he can play a good midfield role for us, I think he can help us win the game.

"It's his first game back so the expectations aren't going to be as huge as if he'd been playing for the last few weeks.

"It's just good to have him back in the side and he's fit and raring to go."

Clarkson backed the fitness of captain Luke Hodge, who has been named despite developing hamstring tightness after the Hawks' round seven win over St Kilda.

"He could have nearly played [against Sydney]," Clarkson said.

"I noted with interest someone said we're rushing our stars back.

"He had a pretty big program, he played the first seven rounds of the season and had a big load and just had a little bit of tightness that hadn't settled as well as he'd like coming out of the St Kilda game. 

"We just thought we wouldn't take a risk.”