HAWTHORN could get premiership players Chance Bateman and Brent Guerra into its line-up for Friday night's clash with Essendon at the MCG.

Bateman has recovered from a sprained ankle he suffered in the round 10 win over the Western Bulldogs, which has kept him out of action for the Hawks' past three matches.

"He's had a terrific last couple of weeks on the training track and has been at full tilt," Hawthorn football operations general manager Mark Evans told hawthornfc.com.au on Tuesday night.

"He trained well today, so I guess it depends how that settles down by tomorrow, but he's some chance to play this week."

Guerra missed Saturday's 71-point victory over Gold Coast with a perforated eardrum, suffered in an off-the-ball clash with Geelong's Joel Selwood the previous week.

Evans said the reliable half-back had started to make good progress in his recovery.

"He's improved significantly," Evans said.

"He still had a few issues over the weekend, which took him out of the game.

"Monday was a turning point for him in starting to feel a lot better, so we're hopeful on his progress during this week."

Young key defender Ryan Schoenmakers will also be assessed later in the week.

The 20 year-old didn't fly with the team to Launceston last Thursday afternoon after leaving the training track with what Evans described as a "sore foot" earlier that day.

"He's a little better, but we'll still have to see where he's at at the end of the week," Evans said.

Evans also provided an update on Rick Ladson, Brent Renouf and Clinton Young.

Ladson was subbed from the game against Gold Coast and faces a test ahead of selection.

"He's a bit tight in the groin," Evans said.

"He didn't finish the game, but he was significantly better the day after the game, which puts it on the low side."

Renouf had surgery to remove his gall bladder after copping a knee to the midriff against the Cats in round 12.

The club is yet to put a timeframe on the ruckman's return.

"He's out of hospital and at home recuperating," Evans said.

"He has to be very careful, particularly in the early phase, that the blood pressure in his abdomen doesn't raise significantly, so he has to take it pretty slowly.

"He'll need to see a specialist in two or three weeks' time, and that specialist will guide us on what he can do after that.

"Until he's ticked off by the specialist he won't do any significant work."

Young experienced tightness in his hamstring against Geelong and was subbed off in the second quarter.

He missed the Suns game and will sit out for another week.

"He did some good, solid training today, but like all hamstrings we prefer to wait that extra week before he comes back," Evans said.

Injury list
Chance Bateman (ankle) test
Cameron Bruce (knee) 4 weeks
Xavier Ellis (calf) 2-3 weeks
Stephen Gilham (knee) indefinite
Brent Guerra (ear) test
Rick Ladson (thigh) test
Angus Litherland (foot) indefinite
Brent Renouf (gall bladder) TBC
Jarryd Roughead (Achilles) indefinite
Ryan Schoenmakers (foot) test
Ben Stratton (knee) indefinite
Clinton Young (hamstring) 1 week

Mark Macgugan writes for hawthornfc.com.au and covers Hawthorn news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mmacgugan.