HAWTHORN says Jarryd Roughead was unlikely to play in Hawthorn's season-opener against Collingwood on Friday night even before the minor injury he suffered in Sunday's VFL match with Box Hill.

Hawks football manager Mark Evans told SEN radio on Monday morning that a five-day turnaround between games would have been less than ideal for a Roughead return.

On the comeback trail after rupturing his Achilles tendon last season, Roughead had managed 16 disposals against Sandringham when he sustained a corked right thigh and left the field late in the last quarter.

Much speculation has centred on whether the knock would prevent the important utility from appearing against the Pies, but Evans virtually ruled Roughead out of contention.

"Roughy's played 80 or 90 minutes in the match … and moved around really confidently - played, back, played forward, took marks, kicked long, and did all the stuff you'd hope to see," Evans said.

"I wouldn't think (he'd play this week). Whether you've got a corky or not, it's probably not the greatest thing for round one to have a five-day lead in …

"(But) he was moving that well yesterday (that) he's not too far away."