YOUNG defender Ben Stratton remains a chance of returning to the Hawthorn line-up during the finals.

Stratton has been out of action since rupturing his PCL against Richmond in round three, but is in the frame to make a comeback with Box Hill in the VFL this weekend.

All going well with his knee, and form permitting, the 22-year-old could be considered for senior selection during September.

"He's a reasonable prospect of playing at VFL level this week," Hawks football operations general manager Mark Evans told hawthornfc.com.au on Tuesday night.

"He's still got to get through training and all that that involves, but to get the clearance from the specialist last week for him to step it up a gear, it means that he's ready to play when he and we are comfortable with that.

Evans said there was "still a lot of water to go under the bridge" before the 2010 NAB AFL Rising Star nominee slotted back into the Hawthorn backline.

"He'd need things to go right for him," Evans said.

"That would mean getting through this first phase of returning to competitive football, and then getting through a full game, and then getting to a level of performance that could see him put his name on the board.

"Those things have got to go through in that order, but we'll see where he gets to in the next month."

Evans reported some sore bodies from Friday night's bruising encounter with Carlton, but said there were no injury concerns from the game.

In-form backman Josh Gibson, who left the field with hamstring tightness and then got a cork later in the match, and midfielder Chance Bateman, who received a kick to the calf, are both expected to come up for Saturday's clash with the Western Bulldogs.

Evans said the club wasn't planning on resting players leading into the finals.

"We would prefer that, unless there's a reason, our guys would keep playing," he said.

"'Gibbo' played out the game, so you wouldn't expect there to be any concern for him.

"(Bateman) pulled up a bit sore, but he's moving about OK at the moment.

"We'll just monitor him as the week goes on, and if he's right to play, we'd certainly play him."

Ruckman Brent Renouf made a successful return from a long lay-off after surgery to remove his gall bladder, playing around 40 minutes for Box Hill's reserves on the weekend.

Evans said the 23-year-old "passed the fitness side of things with flying colours and appeared to be playing pretty comfortably," and would take another step up this week.

Fellow premiership player Xavier Ellis suffered a blow to his neck early in the same VFL reserves match, but scans showed no structural or nerve damage.

"We think he's going to be OK to play, but we'll assess him at the end of the week," Evans said.

Rick Ladson should return from persistent soreness that's kept him out of action since his game-winning intercept against North Melbourne in round 20, but Clinton Young's injured ankle is making a slower than hoped for recovery and he's likely to spend another fortnight on the sidelines.

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