Watch coach Alastair Clarkson's press conference from Friday in the HawksTV player above.

HAWTHORN trained for barely 10 minutes at Ricoh Centre on Friday ahead of Saturday's MCG clash with Richmond.

With the old VFL Park living to its 'Arctic Park' moniker, the Hawks felt they would be better off preparing indoors for a clash coach Alastair Clarkson believes will be won in the midfield.

"They're a tough, hard midfield that can win the ball in contested areas of the game and they can get it on the outside as well," Clarkson said before the brief work out.

"And if they do get it on the outside they can do some damage. They've got potent forwards such as Ty Vickery who they've brought back and can do some damage."

"We are very mindful that they have a stellar midfield and a ruckman who has been very good for them in Ivan Maric.

Clarkson added that it was becoming the same story each week. The team that controls the midfield will likely win the game.

"We hope that over the journey our edge in experience and knowledge of Richmond will give us the edge," he said.

Clarkson said he expected the worst of the rain predicted to engulf Melbourne in the next 24 hours to have cleared up before the 1.45pm start on Saturday, but said his team had already played some wet weather football this season and was prepared for whatever conditions were thrown up.

He also said there had been a slight improvement to the condition of skipper Luke Hodge's knee, but that he was not expected to return to the side any time soon.

"The greatest frustration with this one has been that his actual function has been pretty good. We just thought it would be a minor injury and we anticipated he would be able to play in the Melbourne game after the St Kilda victory (in round 6).

"That was the confidence he had in his knee. He still has good function and strength but we can't get the swelling out of the knee."

"It is starting to slowly get better but it is nowhere near the level. We just have to respect that and our attitude is that we will have a good recruit to come into the side for the second half of the year," he said.

All 22 of the selected Hawks trained on Friday, as did emergency Cameron Bruce.

You can follow AFL Media senior writer Ashley Browne on Twitter @afl_hashbrowne.