Alastair Clarkson tells Hawks to be wary of Carlton

HAWTHORN is wary of Carlton's potential rather than recent results as it heads into Friday night's blockbuster at the MCG.

HAWTHORN is wary of Carlton's potential rather than recent results as it heads into Friday night's blockbuster at the MCG.

The Blues have lost five of their past six games and have been beaten in their past eight clashes with the Hawks, dating back to 2005.

But Clarkson has warned his side against complacency against the Blues, who impressed him in pushing premier Geelong and West Coast in their past two outings.

"We respect both of those opponents enormously and Carlton were right in both of those games," Clarkson said.

"We know Carlton haven't been at their best over the past five or six weeks, but that probably gives us more reason to be right on our guard tomorrow.

"Even though they haven't won many games, and so many people just base it on the win-loss, their form over the last couple of games has been pretty good.

"They've got a couple more players back and we expect that they're going to be a pretty formidable opponent."

As expected the Hawks will enter the match without their captain, Luke Hodge, as he continues his battle toovercome a lingering knee injury.

Hodge joined teammates - including a refreshed, and bearded, Lance Franklin (right) - at a Waverley Park training session yesterday and appeared to move freely.

He said on Twitter tonight: "Got through training today, no go for this weekend. Hopefully next Sunday if all goes well."

But Clarkson said the club's coaching and medical staff were still debating the best way to reintroduce him to footy.

"Whether that be VFL or straight back in to the AFL, we'll determine that over the next week or two," he said.

"We just wanted to get a good training block in to him to make sure that when he does return he's capable of at least playing the rest of the season for us. If we do that then it will be pretty handy for us to have our captain back in the last part of the year."

Clarkson said Carlton small forwards Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett posed a significant threat to his tall defence.

"They're super little players and they're very dangerous with the way Carlton are structuring up, particularly without (Jarrad) Waite in the side they carry more responsibility," he said.

"Every side in the competition when they play Carlton has got to be mindful of those two guys, but also (Andrew) Walker who's a terrific forward.

"All three of those guys were 40 or 50-goal-a-season players for them last year so we know what their capabilities are. We need to try to suppress whatever supply they get."