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HAWTHORN skipper Luke Hodge could make his return to the Hawks line-up on Sunday against Greater Western Sydney at the MCG according to forward Brendan Whitecross.

Hodge has played just two matches this season, with the 28-year-old battling an injury interrupted season to date.

The Hawks utility missed the opening four matches of the season with a calf injury, and returned to the Hawks team for the Round 5 loss to the Swans at Aurora Stadium before injuring his knee in the Round 6 win over St Kilda at the MCG.

Whitecross said that he expects his captain to be back sooner rather than later.

"I'd expect him to be back either this weekend or next," Whitecross said at the Ricoh Centre on Monday.

With the possible return of Hodge, a selection dilemma faces the Hawks' match committee, after the Club won its fourth straight match on Friday night.

Whitecross said, however, that it's a healthy situation for the Club.

"That's a great thing for the Club," he said.

"We're in a great position with depth of our squad with Hodgey coming back and the boys in the side playing really well.

"I don't think we could ask for anything more at the tail end of the season."

The Hawks coaching staff toyed with the idea of playing Hodge in the Club's VFL affiliate Box Hill's reserves side, when the Hawks and Box Hill seniors had a scheduled bye but instead dediced to put the skipper through weeks of solid training.

Hodge needs just three matches to notch 200 career games for the Hawks.

If he returns to the side this weekend against AFL newcomers Greater Western Sydney, he could play his 200th match in the Round 17 blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG.

Kate Salemme is a member of Hawthorn Football Club’s Digital media team reporting exclusively for hawthornfc.com.au from the Ricoh Centre