JARRYD Roughead says he has no doubt his Achilles can withstand the demands of playing in the ruck.

In the second game of his comeback from a nine-month lay-off with a ruptured Achilles, the Hawthorn big man started in the middle of the ground against Adelaide on Sunday.

With Broc McCauley a late withdrawal from the team, Roughead worked in tandem with David Hale against Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs, collecting 22 disposals and nine hit-outs.

The 25-year-old said he had full confidence in his body's ability to cope with the workload.

"I was ready to go for weeks, so it's not like I was needing to get nurtured through," Roughead said on Monday.

"They weren't going to play me if that was the case.

"I'd done the work, and had nine months off, so it wasn't as if I was too worried about it (the Achilles).

"I was doing all right halfway through last year [in the ruck], so going straight back in didn't worry me."

Roughead has spent time in the ruck, forward and in defence during his two games back, and said didn't have a preference about where he played.

"It depends on the balance of the side and where the coaches want me to play," he said.

"I'm happy to play forward, ruck or in defence, but it'll be determined on the balance of the side and what the coaches reckon."

Roughead reported that Luke Breust, who was stretchered from the field after a sickening collision on Sunday, was in good spirits and had suffered no major damage.

He was also hopeful that captain Luke Hodge would be available to return from a calf injury this week against West Coast, in what is sure to be a difficult clash.

"They're the form side of the competition at the moment - you don't have a percentage of 200 for no reason," Roughead said.

"So it'll be a tough test going over there, but we're looking forward to it as well.

"To go over there and knock them off in Perth would be a great scalp for us."