As Hawthorn prepares to resume its season against Geelong on Friday night, there will be much interest placed on how the club’s match committee moulds the side.

The decisions from the medical room will have a strong influence on proceedings with Jaeger O’Meara and Blake Hardwick both having to prove their fitness if they are to be called upon to make the trip down the highway.

Scans revealed a minor fracture in O’Meara’s forehead following an innocuous collision at training a fortnight ago while Hardwick ruptured his pectoral muscle in the side’s pre-season hit-out with St Kilda in late February.

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What was supposed to be an injury that would see the rugged defender miss up to 12 games may only ultimately have held him out of the season opener against Brisbane.

Meanwhile Mitch Lewis couldn’t quite recover from a sprained ankle in time to take his place in the Round 1 side, but he will be hoping his season begins this week.

Alastair Clarkson will have to decide how he structures his forwardline should Lewis get the call-up though, with Tim O’Brien, Jonathon Patton and Jack Gunston all putting strong performances in against the Lions.

Named as emergencies in the season opener, Jack Scrimshaw and Conor Nash would appear the next most likely for a call-up if Clarkson were to make any further changes.