HAWTHORN recruit Stuart Dew will not play in the club’s round one NAB cup game against Sydney Swans but coach Alastair Clarkson said the former Port Adelaide player was just a couple of weeks away from being match fit.

“He’s had a really good block of training and he just needs to continue that over the next few weeks and get himself ready for round one,” Clarkson said.

The 28-year-old spent a year out of the game but has been shaping up nicely since he began training at Waverley Park. But Clarkson said it was not just his physical development that had impressed him.

“So much is to do with attitude and his attitude has been outstanding,” Clarkson said.

“So he will, over time, make a really important contribution, not just on the field but also off the field in terms of the development of some of our younger players.”

Clarkson didn’t reveal what position Dew would occupy when he does play.

“He’s obviously very potent with the way he uses the ball and whether that’s on the half-forward flank kicking goals for us, or whether it is on a wing or half-back actually setting [goals] up for us, I’m sure he’s going to be a very handy acquisition to our side when he gets back into the mix.”