Hodge, as has always been the case, wants to be back in the fray as soon as possible but the Hawks are mindful he has missed matches because of a broken arm, and now knee surgery, this season.

He has been restricted to only four matches, and not played since round six, when he injured his knee against Greater Western Sydney.

Hodge has been progressing well but will not be brought back early, meaning he may have to wait until after the mid-season bye before returning.

"He's a bull, but it's really important because he has missed a bit of footy with two separate injuries now – one to an arm, obviously, and one to a knee – we've just got to make sure he does a little bit of a mini-pre-season and gets himself in the type of nick that allows him to have a really, really good second half of the year," coach Alastair Clarkson said on Friday.

"That's hard for him and hard for us because he's nearly ready to play now, to be fair, he's up and running and he'll get back into ball work next week.

"But we just need to be a little bit patient with that, that we don't try to bring him back too quickly."

Hodge is off contract at the end of the season. Clarkson said last week it would be a "collective" decision as to whether the four-time premiership star played on.

"I'd never write him off at any stage. It's just his character, he has been determined since he was 18 years of age," Clarkson said.

"It probably just fuels it a little more when there are some doubters outside."

As Hodge works to regain his groove, the Hawks prepare to face Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.

The Demons disappointed against Port Adelaide in Alice Springs last weekend and have made five changes, including recalling Chris Dawes, who has not played a senior match this year, and former skipper Jack Trengove, who has not played at the elite level since round two, 2014.

The Hawks have won their past 12 between the clubs (including by 105 points in round seven last year) but the Demons have largely improved this year, and emerged as one of the higher-scoring teams.

The Hawks are conceding, on average, four more goals a game than last year, giving the Demons greater hope of a breakthrough win in a clash where the clubs are evenly matched for clearances.

"They (Demons) have changed the way they have played a little bit ... they are scoring a lot more freely. Some of their work around the middle of the ground has been really impressive," Clarkson said.

Clarkson said he was "reasonably pleased" with where the 7-3 Hawks sat "but we are hoping to consolidate a bit more in the second half of the year and build ourselves up for what we hope is another strong campaign in September".

The Hawks have selected Kade Stewart, a midfielder/half-forward who had been on the rookie list, to make his debut.

"He has progressed really well. He has only been at the club for six months ... has progressed a bit quicker than most youngsters have," Clarkson said.

Tall utility Ryan Schoenmakers has a "grumbly groin" and will sit out the weekend.